Chapter 54: Hidden Boss

Lu Yang walked over to Hansk, crouched down, and chose to loot. Two seconds later, the casting bar finished, and a dazzling silver light illuminated the entire area.

"Another silver equipment piece!" The group couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, stepping forward to gather around Lu Yang.

After picking it up, Lu Yang displayed the item's stats to everyone and said, "Black Crystal Dagger, for rogues."

Black Crystal Dagger (Silver Grade)
Attack: 9—12
Agility +3
Physique +2

"I knew it would be mine." A boy around Xia Yuwei's age stepped out from the crowd cheerfully and said to Lu Yang, "Expert brother, many thanks."

Lu Yang recognized him. He was a high school classmate of Xia Yuwei and Blue Feather, named Leng Feng in real life, and his in-game name was Leng Feng Knight.

Thinking Lu Yang didn't know him, Xia Yuwei and Zhang Zibo stepped forward to introduce him again.

Feigning unfamiliarity, Lu Yang exchanged a few polite pleasantries with Leng Feng Knight and handed the equipment over to him.

"I finally have a silver-tier weapon." Leng Feng excitedly replaced his 1—1 white dagger and equipped the Black Crystal Dagger.

Xia Yuwei looked at Lu Yang with a trace of embarrassment. In this dungeon run, Lu Yang had only taken one piece of equipment, while her team had walked away with two top-tier silver equipment pieces and one bronze piece. Furthermore, they had cleared the dungeon entirely thanks to Lu Yang's help, meaning they essentially obtained free gear and experience.

Xia Yuwei walked up to Lu Yang, dropped her proud demeanor, and said with a touch of feminine gentleness, "Lu Yang, thank you so much this time. If you don't mind, I'd like to be friends with you."

Lu Yang was slightly startled, not expecting Xia Yuwei to speak to him in such a tone and even proactively ask to be friends.

"That would be great, of course. It's my absolute honor," Lu Yang said. In his past life, Xia Yuwei was the Rose Queen, and in this life, barring any accidents, she would be the same.

"You can call me Yuwei from now on. All my friends call me that." Xia Yuwei proactively extended her hand.

Lu Yang shook Xia Yuwei's hand and said, "Alright."

Blue Feather, Leng Feng, and Zhang Zibo all looked somewhat dumbfounded.

"This is the first time Sister Yuwei has ever lowered her posture like this to a peer," Blue Feather remarked.

Leng Feng and Zhang Zibo nodded in unison.

"As expected of an expert, even the iceberg can be melted."

Black lines appeared on Xia Yuwei's forehead, and she couldn't help turning back to glare at Leng Feng and Zhang Zibo as she said, "If you two dare say that again, just try."

Leng Feng and Zhang Zibo immediately shut their mouths.

Lu Yang chuckled inwardly. He remembered that Leng Feng and Zhang Zibo were both steadfast suitors of Xia Yuwei.

Strong Wine Clear Breeze walked up to Lu Yang and said, "Expert, I'd like to send the video of us clearing the Epic-tier dungeon back to the guild, is that okay?"

He was merely being courteous; even if Lu Yang disagreed, Strong Wine Clear Breeze would still send the clearance video to Elder Timeworn, even at the cost of being accused of breaking his word.

Lu Yang said, "Of course I don't mind."

Lu Yang's goal in dealing with Strong Wine Clear Breeze was also to help Elder Timeworn's guild develop rapidly. Among the top-tier major guilds in his past life, only Elder Timeworn and a few others were on bad terms with Liu Jie. Helping Elder Timeworn meant helping himself.

"Thank you," Strong Wine Clear Breeze said excitedly. He immediately organized the video footage, sent it to Elder Timeworn, and reported the entire process of the dungeon run to him.

Xia Yuwei asked, "Lu Yang, you mentioned earlier that you wanted us to help you with something. What is it?"

"Expert, whatever you need us to do, we will definitely give it our all," Leng Feng said.

Lu Yang replied, "I received a special quest that requires killing a hidden boss inside this dungeon. I want you to accompany me to find it."

"Where is it?" Zhang Zibo asked.

Lu Yang answered, "We need to pilot a ship and search along the underground river."

"Pilot a ship?" Everyone looked at Lu Yang in astonishment.

Lu Yang said, "That's right, pilot a ship."

"Can this ship even be sailed?" Xia Yuwei was also surprised.

Lu Yang said, "It should be, according to the hidden quest description. Follow me, everyone, let's give it a try."

He led Zhang Zibo and the others to the stern of the ship and worked together with the capstan to haul the anchor up out of the water.

The current flowed outward, and without the anchor holding it back, the pirate ship began to move forward along the current of the underground river.

"The ship is moving, it's really moving!" Blue Feather said happily.

"I'll steer the ship." Lu Yang left melee classes like Zhang Zibo and Leng Feng at the stern and led Xia Yuwei and the others into the control room, taking the helm to navigate through the underground river.

The space above the underground river was quite high, with numerous stalactites hanging vertically downward. Torches were mounted on the rock walls on both sides, illuminating the river channel brightly.

After advancing for five minutes, Lu Yang spotted a shallow beach where the ship could dock.

"Right there, Yuwei, have everyone get ready," Lu Yang said, pointing at the shallow area.

Xia Yuwei nodded, walked out of the control room, and went to line up the team.

After docking the ship properly, Lu Yang had Zhang Zibo and the others drop the anchor, and led everyone as they leaped down from the pirate ship.

System Notification: The Watkins Bow (Silver Grade) you put up for auction was purchased by a player for 67 silver coins.

Lu Yang was slightly stunned, thinking to himself, "There really are wealthy tycoons out there, and more than one."

Seeing Lu Yang stopped in his tracks, Xia Yuwei asked curiously, "What's wrong?"

Lu Yang shook his head and said, "Nothing, let's continue."

The group walked forward for five minutes until they reached a platform.

The platform was circular, surrounded by a two-meter-wide ring-shaped waterway. To proceed further, one had to cross a natural stone bridge, behind which lay a gloomy tunnel.

Lu Yang said, "I'll go ahead and scout the path. You guys stay here and wait for me."

"Be careful," Xia Yuwei said.

Lu Yang nodded, picked up a torch from the wall, and walked into the tunnel.

Deep within this cave was the ultimate target Lu Yang was looking for: Archmage Angolo.

The Betrayer Angolo was originally a devotee of the Blazing Demon God, but he later betrayed the Blazing Demon God and participated in the hunt against the Demon God's followers.

After the Blazing Demon God was defeated at the Celestial Temple, right before he was sealed, he transformed the remaining power within his body into a curse, cursing those who had betrayed him. Among those individuals was Archmage Angolo.

The cursed Angolo could no longer use fire spells, and he harbored a deep fear of fire and light, which was why he hid within the Cave of Death.

Although he could no longer use fire spells, his mastery over other magic remained extraordinary, such as his Ice Arrow.

"Whoosh."

Hearing the rush of wind, Lu Yang immediately used Blink to jump backward toward his origin path.

A white light flashed.

An ice-blue Ice Arrow precisely pierced through the white light, striking the wall right next to Lu Yang.

The wall instantly froze over with a thick layer of frost. Lu Yang was certain that had that skill hit him, he would have died without a doubt.

"Damn it, put out the fire, or I'll kill you!" A human voice echoed from not far away.

Knowing this was Archmage Angolo, Lu Yang instantly cast a Pyroblast in the direction of the voice.

With a loud "boom."

The Pyroblast struck Angolo, illuminating him—a middle-aged man clad in pristine white mage robes.

Archmage Angolo (Lord Grade)
Level: 10
79,640 / 80,000