Chapter Three: The Grand Plan for Advancement

He had been busy the entire afternoon. When Zhang Xiao finally struck down the tenth little white rabbit, he felt as if a surge of adrenaline flooded his whole body. The exhaustion from an afternoon of rabbit-hunting vanished in an instant. Ah, what a nostalgic sensation—he had leveled up. This feeling only arose in those rare moments of advancement. Opening his attribute sheet, he saw his level had changed from zero to one.

He checked his stats: five attribute points to distribute. These points were crucial before joining any sect; if assigned poorly, future leveling would become sluggish, even severely impacting his progress. Zhang Xiao allocated his points with care: two to strength, two to endurance, and one to agility. His stats now read: Character: Zhang Xiao, Level 1; Strength: 32; Agility: 21; Endurance: 52.

Though his current attributes weren’t impressive, this was just the first step. Tossing aside the pathetic short stick he’d been using, he drew out another, equally unimpressive but at least suitable for his new level, and continued hunting rabbits until dusk began to settle. Only then did he return to the village.

As he entered, he noticed a crowd of villagers gathered at the entrance, chattering noisily about something.

"Ah, Xiao Zhang, you're back! Come, have a look at this thing—what on earth is it, and why has it appeared on your Auntie's arm?" an elderly woman called out, grabbing his sleeve. In her mind, only youngsters like Zhang could possibly understand such oddities.

In fact, she had come to the right person. No one here understood these matters better than Zhang Xiao. Yet, he pondered how best to explain without revealing too much. He wasn’t particularly worried about the elders. Since the great change, though the strong ruled, the elderly and weak were well cared for; they didn’t need to slay monsters or level up. The Heavenly Way would automatically raise their levels periodically, and children under twelve were likewise protected. As for essential skills, someone would surely come to address those soon enough. After explaining some basics to the elders, Zhang Xiao withdrew to his room.

The next morning, three strange figures appeared in the village. Dressed in ancient official robes, they stood with an imposing air at the village gate. As soon as Zhang Xiao stepped outside, he saw them—silent, unmoving, yet their eyes all fixed on him.

A chill ran through Zhang’s heart. These must be the so-called Task Envoys, a nickname coined by people before the great change. According to rumor, these envoys were upright officials from ancient times, their souls preserved by the Heavenly Way; once the world shifted, they began appearing to issue tasks to mortals. Completing a task would grant useful foundational skills.

Of course, these tasks weren’t easy, and the skills awarded were random. The elderly and children were exceptions, however; their tasks were simple, and the skills they received were practical. This was a kind of compensation from the Heavenly Way for those born with fewer advantages, though it diminished as one’s gap with others narrowed.

By now, villagers were hesitantly emerging from their homes, alarmed at the sight of the three envoys—none dared approach for a task. To Zhang Xiao’s dismay, the village chief began leading a group to surround the envoys, clearly intent on confrontation. Though Zhang had little personal connection with most of these villagers, he couldn’t stand by and let the ignorant chief offend the envoys.

He hurried forward, intercepting the chief. "Please, Chief, do not act rashly. These three are not to be trifled with. Let me speak with them first."

Ignoring further protests, Zhang Xiao strode up and respectfully saluted the envoys. One mustn’t underestimate these ancient souls—though some had little fame in history, each was a cunning old ghost, and it was best to remain courteous. Otherwise, a single misstep could spell disaster. "Honored sirs, I wish to receive a task."

The three envoys exchanged glances and smiled. "Young man, it seems you have already learned nearly all the foundational skills we can offer. There is nothing left for you here."

Indeed, Zhang Xiao had prepared meticulously for the great change, studying every basic skill he could get his hands on, even those tucked away in old comic book bundles.

But Zhang’s eyes gleamed with cunning. He replied, "Honored sirs, your presence is so awe-inspiring that the villagers are too intimidated to approach. I wish to set an example, so they will not neglect their duty toward you."

Flattery, it seemed, could breach any defense. The envoys exchanged a glance, their eyes lighting up. They had been wondering how to instruct this group. "Well then, young friend, since you have a kind heart, we’ll grant you a reward instead." One of them produced a bronze medal and handed it to Zhang Xiao. Equipment? Zhang’s heart leaped. After the great change, gear had become invaluable—especially at the start, a single piece could grant immense power. Yet such items were rare; despite all his preparations, the only equipment he possessed was a battered wooden stick.

Accepting a task slip from the envoy, he tore it open. Instantly, a prompt appeared: "Initiator: Instruct at least ten people to receive life skills tasks from the Task Envoys."

Checking his task list, Zhang looked back at the three envoys, who smiled at him encouragingly. Satisfied the task was genuine, he turned to the chief. "Chief, if we want to cook or use tools, we must first complete a task. Once done, we’ll gain the relevant skills. I just obtained Basic Cooking Mastery myself." He opened his attribute sheet to display the new skill. Only the skill was visible to others, not his full stats.

With his demonstration, the villagers could no longer resist. They’d been hungry all day—and now, learning a task would let them cook. Several bold villagers hurried to accept their own tasks. Inspired by their example, the rest soon followed.

The Heavenly Way was just—tasks for the elders were simple: gather branches, tidy the village entrance, and so on. In return, each received a practical skill.

Once his own task was marked as complete, Zhang Xiao returned to the envoys for his reward. One smiled and handed him a medal.

"Initiator’s Medal: Increases vision in darkness." Zhang Xiao stared at the medal, heart pounding. It would grant him clear sight in the dark—a priceless advantage. No wonder people said that after the great change, opportunities lay everywhere. He had just obtained a rare piece of equipment at the very beginning.

Donning the Initiator’s Medal, Zhang Xiao felt a surge of strength and stamina. Gripping his short stick, he set off for the mountains, determined to reach level three that very day.

He ventured deep into the wilderness, bypassing the lower-level monsters and heading for a place he remembered well. Before the great change, he had chosen this mountain village not just because the monsters were unclaimed. Within a month, as people discovered the mechanics of leveling up, this area became known as a training paradise. Up to level ten, nearly everyone would come here, for one reason: it was a natural spawning ground for monsters.

Zhang Xiao had tried to train there himself, but powerful groups soon monopolized the area. Only when the military intervened did they regain control, making it inaccessible to ordinary people.

Following the narrow path north, he finally reached a slope teeming with Giant Scythe Serpents—level eight monsters, their bodies as thick as a man’s waist. There were at least forty visible, with more likely hidden nearby.

A bit reckless, perhaps, but Zhang Xiao was determined. If he could just get past the first dozen serpents, there was a narrow mountain fissure in the cliff wall—just wide enough for a person to squeeze through sideways, opening into a small cavern about two meters wide, enough for two people to stand.

Yes, that was it. Zhang Xiao’s eyes shone with anticipation as he gazed at the distant crevice. He didn’t rush. Instead, he waited as the sun climbed higher, heating the valley. The serpents, being cold-blooded, began to bask and doze in the sunlight.

One by one, the Giant Scythe Serpents fell asleep. Then, with a flash, Zhang Xiao dashed down the slope, using his momentum to leap—his foot landing squarely on the head of a dozing serpent.

This story is now well underway. Thank you, dear readers, for your continued support and for adding this book to your collection.