Chapter 1 The Beginning

Nie Yan plummeted rapidly, and as he was about to hit the ground, he extended his left hand and cast the skill on the Weaver's Ring, shooting out a strand of spider silk that adhered to the plant-covered cliff face. The spider silk caught Nie Yan as he fell, the resilient silk stretching like a rubber band, gradually reaching its maximum length.

The force on the spider silk grew stronger and stronger.

Nie Yan's downward momentum exceeded 200 pounds. With a snap, the spider silk broke, tearing many plants from the cliff face.

However, the spider silk greatly slowed Nie Yan's descent.

With a *thump*, Nie Yan landed, taking -56 damage. It wasn't a high number, well within his tolerance.

Under normal circumstances, without the cushioning effect of the spider silk, he would have died without a doubt!

This place wasn't far from Link Town. For the sake of safety, Nie Yan entered stealth, crushed an acceleration scroll, and sprinted towards Link Town through the semi-arid bushes. The densely populated town should provide him with some protection.

Having missed its attack, the Order Guardian flapped its wings and stopped in the air. Nie Yan had already fallen to the bottom of the canyon and disappeared into stealth.

The distance between them exceeded a hundred yards. Even with a large level difference, the Order Guardian couldn't see through Nie Yan's stealth at such a distance.

Calculating according to the formula for stealth distance regarding level difference, perception, and observation abilities, Nie Yan ensured that as long as he remained more than a hundred yards away from the Order Guardian while stealthed, he would be absolutely safe. Even the perception and detection of a level 100 elite creature couldn't reach such a distance.

Nie Yan glanced back. The Order Guardian didn't leave but instead chased after him.

He quickly hid behind a large rock and held his breath.

The Order Guardian flapped its wings, swept through the sky, and surveyed the movements below. Not finding Nie Yan, it circled in the air.

Hunter and hunted, the Order Guardian was like a hawk in the sky, while Nie Yan was like prey on the ground.

It was still more than six hundred yards to Link Town. Under the Order Guardian's gaze, there was no way he could safely traverse such a distance.

There was another way: using a Return Scroll.

He could use a Return Scroll here, but it took twenty seconds to read, and the light emitted would attract the Order Guardian.

Given the Order Guardian's flight speed, it would take less than ten seconds from discovering him to killing him.

The Order Guardian's flight altitude gradually decreased, getting closer and closer to Nie Yan.

"This is troublesome," Nie Yan thought anxiously. If the Order Guardian got within a hundred yards, it might discover his hiding place. The danger was closing in.

Since avoidance was impossible, he could only continue to flee, wondering if he could cover the six hundred yards.

Just as the Order Guardian was about to swoop down, *whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!* Three arrows shot from afar, aiming at the Order Guardian's heart, head, and throat respectively. The Order Guardian dodged to the side, and all three arrows missed.

Atop a distant, huge, withered tree stood a tall NPC archer, clad in silver-white scale armor, drawing his bow and nocking an arrow. *Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!* Three more arrows were fired.

The Order Guardian let out a low screech, seemingly dissatisfied with the provocation of these low-level creatures, and swooped towards the NPC.

"Commander Nisode, the defenses are complete. Please give us your orders." Several fully armed Holy Crusader soldiers reported not far away.

"It's here. Let's retreat into Link Town and let these vile and stupid dragons face the judgment of the Holy Crusaders!" Nisode glanced at the Order Guardian roaring through the sky, put away his bow, leapt from the top of the withered tree, and landed lightly.

Drawn by the NPC, the Order Guardian flew over Nie Yan's head and towards Link Town.

System: Town Level 1 Alert, Draconic Creature Invasion!

"dhgus!" Draconic Language: Scorching Meteor.

The Order Guardian waved its staff, and a huge fireball burning with intense flames fell from the sky, crashing towards Link Town.

Flames soared into the sky. The fireball engulfed an area of 50x50 yards.

"Primary Protection Barrier, activate!" Nisode walked onto the highest tower in Link Town, stood on the top, and issued an order to the people below.

A blue barrier opened, protecting Link Town within it.

With a *bang*, the fireball exploded on the barrier, sparks flying in all directions. The barrier trembled violently. All the players in the town felt the tremor, and scorching fire elements rushed towards them.

"Attack!" Nisode gave the order. All the mechanical crossbows in the town aimed at the Order Guardian in the sky. *Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!* Countless arrows flew densely into the sky.

The magic-user and archer classes among the thousands of players also attacked the Order Guardian in the sky.

The Order Guardian constantly cast spells. Under its attacks, cracks appeared in the barrier. With a *bang*, it shattered completely. It rushed into the town, and with one stomp, a house was crushed, broken bricks and tiles flying everywhere.

The Order Guardian's appearance caused chaos among the players in the town.

"Damn, it's a level 100 elite! Don't let the shield warriors go up!"

"Mages, mages, fire at will!"

"Crap, all misses! The level difference is too big!"

The players in Link Town were in disarray. More than a dozen Holy Crusader guards in heavy armor rushed forward, surrounded the Order Guardian, and countless attacks rained down on it.

The Order Guardian was engulfed in intense flames. It was a terrifying destroyer. With each swing of its staff, it sent a Holy Crusader guard flying. Wherever it went, houses were knocked down, the ground was scorched, and the area was reduced to ruins.

"The glory of the Holy Crusaders... In the name of Commander Nisode, I judge the evil dragon race! Piercing Arrow!" After a full three sets of syllables, Commander Nisode placed his hand on the bowstring, shouted, and drew the bow into a full moon. Releasing the bowstring, an arrow shot out spinning, bringing with it gusts of fierce swirling energy. With a *bang*, it pierced through the Order Guardian's body. -87829, an extremely high damage number floated above the Order Guardian's head.

The intense pain caused the Order Guardian to roar in anger, raising the staff in its hand, destructive flames surrounding it, forming a vortex of intense heat.

The fighting in the direction of Link Town became increasingly fierce. Nie Yan, the one who had caused all this, was secretly rejoicing. Fortunately, the defenders of Link Town had drawn the Order Guardian away, otherwise he would have surely died.

Nie Yan lingered on the outskirts of Link Town. Under the fierce attacks of many high-level guards, the Order Guardian was about to collapse. Wondering if the high-level creature like the Order Guardian would drop any good equipment, Nie Yan felt a slight anticipation and moved closer to the Order Guardian, about sixty yards away, hiding behind the ruins.

There was still some time. Nie Yan took out the dagger Assassin's Training from his bag and identified it with Super Appraisal.

Assassin's Training (Gold): Off-hand weapon, Required Level 5.

Stats: Attack 26-29, Strength +16, Attack Hit +12.

Attack Speed: 2.5

Weight: 3 lbs.

Restriction: Usable by all factions.

It was an off-hand weapon. As expected of a gold-grade equipment, it had more than thirty points of attack at level five. When he learned dual-wielding at level five, he could use it. With such equipment, his attack would greatly increase. Nie Yan put away Assassin's Training.

Nie Yan didn't have much hope that the Order Guardian would drop equipment. The Order Guardian was just a guardian, existing to protect the Chapter of Order. Such creatures rarely dropped equipment, but there were exceptions.