Chapter 3: Unleashing the Cheat!

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With the name “Half a Step Above Fate,” Tang Xuan entered the game and arrived at one of the many beginner villages in “The Great Martial Arts.” This game, acclaimed as using one hundred percent virtual reality technology and about to take China by storm, already had more than a million players online, even though it had just started its public beta. Every beginner village was packed to the brim!

The village where Tang Xuan found himself was also teeming with players. The initial confusion and bewilderment in everyone’s eyes quickly gave way to excitement and determination. This was the radiance of players eager to chase the leaderboards, vie for first dungeon clears, and set new records—all the glory and thrill of a game’s opening days! There were so many things for players to do. In two words: pioneer and explore!

“All young heroes, please come to the village chief to receive your quests!”
“Complete my tasks, and you will be guided by the various sect emissaries in the village to join the great martial sects, learn their arts, and roam the rivers and lakes!”

At the forefront of the village, the old chief’s booming voice drew the attention of every player. The crowd surged forward, and Tang Xuan was among them. Before long, it was his turn.

“Oh, a new hero! I have a selection of basic martial arts and some beginner quests here. You may choose as you wish.”

Tang Xuan looked over the options. There were basic internal strength, basic lightness skill, basic palm technique, basic fist technique, basic sword technique, basic saber technique, basic staff technique, and so on. In addition, there were several beginner quests, which combined into a main storyline: reach level 10 and complete certain tasks, and you would be guided to the great sects to become a disciple, learn martial arts, and begin your adventure.

Gazing at the array of basic martial arts skills, Tang Xuan chose to learn them all!

Ordinary players would usually select basic internal strength and lightness skill first—these two were almost essential. As for fist, palm, saber, staff, and the like, most would only pick one or two. After all, each skill had to be practiced to increase proficiency and level. Only with higher skill levels could you do more damage. Better to be specialized than spread thin!

But Tang Xuan had no such dilemma. As the once undisputed number one player and a legend in online gaming, he possessed a unique system: as long as he practiced, he would achieve mastery.

“Learn basic internal strength, learn basic lightness skill, learn basic fist technique, learn basic palm technique, learn basic sword technique, learn basic saber technique, learn basic staff technique…”

“Ding! Basic internal strength mastered.”
“Ding! Basic lightness skill mastered.”
“Ding! Basic fist technique mastered…”

Tang Xuan opened his character panel to have a look.

[Name: Half a Step Above Fate]
[Level: 1]

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[HP: 100/100]
[Inner Power: 120/120]
[Attack: 130]
[Defense: 130]
[Speed: 130]
[Martial Arts: Basic Internal Strength (Mastered), Basic Lightness Skill (Mastered), Basic Fist Technique (Mastered), Basic Sword Technique (Mastered)…]
[Inventory: None]

He clicked to check the details of these mastered basic skills.

[Basic Internal Strength (Mastered): Increases inner power by 120, attack by 120, defense by 120, speed by 120.]
[Basic Lightness Skill (Mastered): Increases speed by 120%. Each use consumes 5 inner power.]
[Basic Fist Technique (Mastered): Increases attack by 120%. Each use consumes 5 inner power.]
[Basic Sword Technique (Mastered): Increases attack by 120%. Each use consumes 5 inner power.]
…

Tang Xuan, like all players, started with 0 inner power. Learning basic internal strength, level 1 granted 10 inner power, level 2 gave 20, level 3 gave 30, and so on up to level 9, which gave 90 inner power. Mastery at level 10, however, increased inner power not just by 100, but by 120!

Tang Xuan’s was instantly maxed out at mastery, for a total of 120/120 inner power.

As for attack, defense, and speed, every player started with a base value of 10. Internal strength, being the most versatile, boosted all three at once. Level 1 internal strength added 10 points to each, level 2 added 20, and so on. At mastery—level 10—it added 120 points to attack, defense, and speed!

Thus, Tang Xuan’s attack, defense, and speed were all at 130.

As for lightness skill, after learning level 1, each use instantly increased speed by 10%. Level 2 increased it by 20%, and so on. Mastered at level 10, each use instantly increased speed by 120%.

Attack skills followed the same pattern. Whether using sword, fist, or staff techniques—all were identical.

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Each skill use at level 1 increased attack by 10%, level 2 by 20%, and so forth. At mastery, level 10, the increase was a staggering 120%!

“It feels amazing to be overpowered!” Tang Xuan couldn’t help but exclaim. If someone else were cheating in a game and ruining fairness, he would certainly condemn and criticize them! But now that it was his turn, all he could say was: It’s just too good!

While other players’ level 1 internal strength increased their inner power, attack, defense, and speed by just 10 points each, he already had maxed-out skills, boosting each stat by 120! And with mastered lightness skill and fist technique, he could stack another 120% boost to attack and speed—the effect was almost ridiculously powerful!

Tang Xuan then glanced at the many beginner quests he’d received from the village chief: go to the bookstore, pharmacy, weapon shop, and so on. After a quick scan, he headed to the nearest building—the beginner village pharmacy.

It was just as crowded here, with many players queuing for quests. Before long, it was Tang Xuan’s turn.

“Oh, a new hero! Are you here to buy medicine, or to take on a quest?”

“To take on a quest,” Tang Xuan replied, marveling inwardly. The tone and mannerisms of the village chief and the pharmacy manager were indistinguishable from real people.

“The apprentice in charge of gathering herbs has gone to visit family in the city, and we’re running low on supplies. Would you be willing to collect some herbs for me?”

“Of course,” Tang Xuan answered with a nod.

The pharmacy manager smiled, “There are often poisonous insects near the herbs—please be careful!”

“Ding! Newbie quest ‘Gather Herbs’ received.”

Tang Xuan checked the quest: help the pharmacy manager gather seven-leaf grass, star anise leaf, ganoderma, ginseng, and more—a total of ten jin.

Quest reward: 1,000 experience points and 200 copper coins.

Without hesitation, he left the pharmacy and headed toward the valley outside the beginner village—the designated herb-gathering area.