Chapter 28: Mission Completion and Reward Settlement

Three days later, the derivative mission concluded.

Jiang He returned to the reality world via teleportation. The familiar environment allowed him to lower his guard slightly; although the side quest had lasted ten days, only a second had passed in reality. In the courtyard, Old Black jolted awake from his slumber and trotted into the house.

A notification chime sounded, and Jiang He claimed his mission rewards.

[Mission Name: The Ten-Day Diary of Yangzhou]
[Main Mission Completed (Authorized)]
[Mission Rewards Issued: ① One Free Attribute Point, ② One Skill Point, ③ 300 Game Coins and Experience Points, ④ Random Rare-grade Item *1]
[Authorized Occupation: Executor has been unlocked]
[Mission Rating: S, 200% bonus to Experience Points and Game Coins]
[Player Level: LV3 → LV5 (175/500)]

"That means I have three free attribute points and skill points on hand," Jiang He mused, then quickly allocated them.

[Constitution: 7 → 8] (Peak Boxing)
[Agility: 8 → 10] (Human Limit)
[Spear Mastery: LV7 → LV10 (Deals 20% extra damage when using spear-type weapons)]

...

After finalizing the allocations, Jiang He opened his full player panel.

[Player Name: Desert Guest]
[ID: 79966]
[Player Level: LV5 (175/500)]
[Game Coins: 1075]
[Item Pouch: 5 cubic meters]
[Energy Value: 500/500]
[Life Level: Bronze Age Elite Human]
[Strength: 8] (Peak Weightlifting)
[Agility: 10] (Human Limit)
[Constitution: 8] (Peak Boxing)
[Spirit: 6] (Outstanding Perception)
[Charisma: 7+1] (Eye-catching)
[Active Skills: Fanatic Rhythm (Rare), Hypnosis (Common)]
[Passive Skills: Spear Mastery LV10, Fishing Proficiency LV1, Forging Proficiency LV1]
[Items: Longing Spear (Excellent), Flood Dragon Scale Armor (Rare), Gentleman’s Lenses (Common)]
[Title: Earl of Pacifying Chaos]

Jiang He browsed his panel. The title was a new addition, officially recognized by the Southern Ming imperial court. Expanded details showed it granted +1 Charisma and, when entering a dungeon with an ancient dynasty setting, it provided a boost to his starting status. In the Ming Dynasty, titles were ranked as Duke, Marquis, Earl, Viscount, and Baron, though Viscounts and Barons were rarely granted, so Earl was typically the starting rank.

Jiang He assessed himself. His agility had reached the limit for a normal human. According to the "Origin" game, once one attribute hits the limit, the life level shifts from ordinary human to elite. At this level, he could even track the trajectory of a pistol bullet with his naked eye; his speed and reaction time had increased significantly. However, his Spirit stat was clearly insufficient; rushing to exceed the limit further could lead to unknown consequences.

Compared to the attribute enhancements, the greatest gain from this derivative mission was the "Executor" occupation.

[Exclusive Equipment Slot Unlocked]
[Hint: Please choose your development path.]

"There are ten equipment slots in total. They seem similar to the item pouch, but once equipment is placed in these slots, it provides bonuses even if not worn or displayed outwardly," Jiang He thought, recalling his destroyed rhino armor. It had decent defense and a strength bonus; if he could have slotted it, he would have enjoyed those stats without needing to wear it.

He placed his Flood Dragon Scale Armor into an equipment slot, and an invisible layer of defense immediately manifested over his skin.

He continued to inspect the Executor occupation. There were seventy-two development paths, including archetypes like Swordsman, Shield-bearer, Hunter, and more.

"After choosing a development path, mission rewards will no longer be random but related to that path... It seems that compared to the training model for authorized players, ordinary players are left entirely to fend for themselves."

Random rewards involved too much uncertainty, making it difficult to form cohesive synergies between items and skills, often leading to a disorganized build that delayed the development of his combat power.

"The final two modules of the Executor class, the Exclusive Shop and Mission Execution, haven't been triggered yet."

Jiang He selected "Hunter" as his development path. The tags for Hunter included: Hunting, Spear, Marksmanship, Pets, Traps...

Only then did the "Random Rare-grade Item" reward manifest.

[Name: Chaotic Explosion Engineering Tool]
[Category: Production]
[Quality: Rare]
[Effect: ① Absorbs shockwaves and thermal radiation to create Chaotic Bombs. ② Chaotic Bombs are Rare-grade, with a 30-meter blast radius, dealing 20% extra damage to biological flesh and spiritual entities. ③ When multiple are used, each bomb deals an additional 10 points of True Damage. ④ The item upgrades after accumulating a certain number of bombs produced (0/1000).]
[Note: Supported by S-rank rating / I am the explosion!]

Jiang He was stunned for a few seconds before regaining his composure. This tool was practically tailor-made for him, and its upgradeable nature meant it could serve as a core piece of equipment. "Is this what it means to be an 'authorized dog'? It looks like a ring..."

He put the ring on; its center was inlaid with a pitch-black gem, reminding him of the black powder in the armory. "My item pouch is now half-liberated."

...

"How did you get so burned?" Old Black walked in and jumped in shock at the sight of his face.

Jiang He paused, only then remembering his disfigurement. He spent 50 game coins to buy a Small Healing Potion from the Origin Mall. After consuming it, the dead skin on his face sloughed off.

"Almost forgot." Old Black said earnestly, "Little He, you should tidy yourself up. If you can't get a wife, how am I supposed to answer to your parents?"

Jiang He’s face darkened, and he reached out to press down on the dog’s head.

Old Black was used to it and continued, "A dog's year is seven human years. If the era of transcendence hadn't arrived, I’d be near the end of my life. Of course, my body is great now and I can still guard the house, but transcendence also means danger. You need to get ahead sooner rather than later."

"Stop right there."

"Alright."

Jiang He got up and washed his face in the bathroom. He had no deep-seated grudges, and he didn't intend to go back to school. From now on, he would focus on the path of transcendence. If he were to fall, he would have no one to blame but himself.

"I'm heading up the mountain again tomorrow morning. I talked to the people from the Order Bureau during this mission. They expect that if the trend of transcendence intensifies, residents in the Gobi, forests, and islands might have to relocate to major cities in a few years. We should look for an opportunity to stay behind; maybe we can take an island for ourselves."

Old Black chuckled, "If that day comes, I plan to raise a flock of sheep on the island."

Jiang He tilted his head, "Is your lineage that of a sheepdog?"

Old Black pondered, "I'm not sure of my breed, but it leans toward wolf. I'd keep the sheep to eat, of course."

Jiang He was speechless.

Hours passed, and the morning light began to shimmer on the horizon. As the man and the dog packed their gear to head toward the border, a knock sounded at the door.

Jiang He opened it to find a middle-aged man with dark skin holding a briefcase and two portions of breakfast. Old Black gave a symbolic bark; he knew this man was surnamed Han, of the same clan as Han the Scar, a gang member they had met on the mountain, and now worked for the Anping Far-Voyage Group.

The man held up the breakfast and smiled, "Little He, have you eaten? Let's talk about that ship of yours."

Jiang He stepped aside, "Please, come in."