Chapter 120: Thruster (Exclusive to Frosthawk)

By now, the players’ coordination in defending the castle had gradually become instinctive.

Players with a few control skills were protected, while others took on clear roles—some absorbing damage, others focusing fire, and still others ferrying supplies to block and secure strategic positions. So there was always a vanguard.

It took five minutes to travel from the town center’s respawn point to the player’s castle—not exactly a delay—and one could often see hundreds or even thousands of players arriving together from the southern part of town.

“Sending in the second wave of casualties.”

Huang Yunshuo bravely lunged toward the castle, though this time he was much more low-key.

Not only was he leading the charge this time, but he also had to gather as many copper coins and materials as possible—he was dirt poor and couldn’t afford to provoke the Sloth Knights for now.

Fifteen thousand copper coins for one and a half hours of playtime was a deal he never would have made before, even if it meant dying.

Unfortunately, the monster siege didn’t give him much time to react. No one could say when the predatory little roosters would rush forward. The sooner he equipped the thruster, the sooner he could give himself a shot of adrenaline.

He quietly landed on the edge of the battlefield and began scavenging feverishly.

The amount of copper coins and materials dropped on the battlefield was staggering—within less than a minute, four or five hundred copper coins had filled his backpack, making him grin crookedly.

“Looks like Da Huang is hitting another financial crisis,” Yu Shiyin poked Ye Piaoxue and laughed.

“Yeah, no one can keep up with his expenses,” Ye Piaoxue nodded helplessly.

According to Chen Lu Qingshuang, his alloy armor had cost over thirty thousand copper coins, rockets were nearly ten coins each, and one hour of sustained firepower burned through twenty thousand copper coins.

Such an expensive profession—Da Huang’s ability to recoup that much money was truly impressive.

“Should we support him?” Yu Shiyin asked.

“No,” Ye Piaoxue waved her off. “He hasn’t asked for help, so he must have a plan. Look how fast he’s picking up copper coins.” Then she smiled faintly.

“You’re heartless!” Yu Shiyin rolled her eyes.

When Huang Yunshuo died again and returned to the respawn point, he had already swiftly gathered over twelve hundred copper coins.

“Looks like I can save those pitiful credit points after all.”

Huang Yunshuo hurried south toward the town.

The players of Stone Platform Town were truly witnessing something today.

The reckless big shot seemed mad, constantly sacrificing himself. Six deaths already, each time angrily diving off the city walls, frantically scavenging copper coins and rare materials while tangling with the Sloth Knights.

The poor Sloth Knights were thoroughly tormented—at least a third of the piglets’ backs were bare, and the sloths rolled onto the grass, sitting or lying down, slowly crawling off to find their nuts. They looked pitiful indeed.

“I can’t keep this up. I’m done sacrificing myself.”

Wiping the sweat from his brow, Huang Yunshuo glanced at the time. Good heavens, Wang Dazui had been forging the thruster for almost an hour! Meanwhile, the total copper coins he’d collected just barely surpassed ten thousand—this was the price of his six deaths.

He bought 81 sets of twelve low-level eternal crystal shards each from the universal server shop at prices between 10 and 11 copper coins apiece. Then he dove into a frenzy of synthesis, and with twelve eternal crystals in hand, he rushed into the blacksmith’s workshop.

Wang Dazui was still dawdling mid-process.

“Hurry up, don’t dawdle. I’ve brought the materials you need,” Huang Yunshuo urged, dumping the pile of eternal crystals onto the counter with a clatter.

Wang Dazui exclaimed, “Damn!”

One by one, the eternal crystals turned to ashes before Huang Yunshuo’s eyes, and the thruster’s crafting progress soared rapidly. In less than two minutes, the costly forging was finally complete.

Clang!

A dazzling light burst forth from the thruster.

The 40% failure chance did not trigger.

Before the light faded, another beam shone from Wang Dazui himself, leaving Huang Yunshuo staring in disbelief.

“You ascended to immortality?”

Wang Dazui leaned on his hammer, laughing thunderously, “Hahaha! I, Wang Dazui, have finally made it!!!”

Only then did Huang Yunshuo realize that the guy had just advanced from junior blacksmith to intermediate blacksmith. No wonder he was so excited. Still, Huang Yunshuo reckoned he had contributed quite a bit.

Thruster: Frost Cold Hawk, Green*Rare, Level 15

Agility: +20

Strength: +20

Movement Speed: +10%

Hover Jet: After vertical takeoff, use this device to freely control flight direction and speed, slowly consuming the thruster’s energy during this phase.

Special Ammunition: Every 100 meters flown, one ordinary rocket in your shoulder ammo bay transforms into special ammo—upgrading to either Freeze Explosive or Flame Explosive. Two ammo bays with twelve slots allow default custom settings.

Energy Regeneration: The thruster’s energy slowly recovers every second.

Unique Passive Skill — Vertical Takeoff: Consumes large amounts of energy to launch straight up from the ground, with a maximum height of 20 meters. Cooldown time is 60 seconds.

[Since you have activated all basic equipment of the hidden profession “Frost Cold Hawk,” you officially gain the “Frost Cold Hawk” hidden profession and receive a 5% boost to all attributes.]

[You have acquired the universal melee skill book “Charge” and the universal archer skill book “Lightness.”]

Finally, he could fly!

Blinking through the dazzling notifications, Huang Yunshuo’s first thought was that the previously pitiful agility attribute had finally burst forth again.

With both agility and strength increased by 20 points, his normal damage and critical damage had reached terrifying levels.

A 10% bonus to movement speed, combined with the previous 11% boost from his gear and titles, added up to a 21% increase. Add the 30% from Champion Warrior and the usual movement buffs, and if his speed was 10, ordinary players probably barely reached 6.

Strength affected attack values, and the all-attribute boost adjusted everything simultaneously. Huang Yunshuo’s stats shifted once more.

Weakling, Level 18

Profession: Frost Cold Hawk

Human, Blood Fury 311 (Black List 0, White List 311)

Attack: +10

Constitution: 71

Strength: 154

Agility: 104 (94)

Wisdom: 42

Health: 355

Mana: 210

Attack: 75–82 (70–77)

Defense: 38

After dying six times in a row, if he hadn’t swept through a few little yellow wasps along the way, he would have dropped back to level 17 by now.

“Feels great!”

Savoring the sensation brought by an agility of 104—the feeling of soaring with the wind—Huang Yunshuo studied the universal skill books Charge and Lightness he had just learned, adding two skills to his skill slots.

“Honestly, I’ve been eyeing that Charge universal skill book for ages. Lightness is just as desirable. Haha.”

One skill for displacement, one for acceleration—both essential for survival and mobility.

Though these two skill books could be learned by warriors, knights, or archers, skill books like Combo and Dragon Dance—which are unlimited by profession—were rare. Others could use them, but Huang Yunshuo, not being in a mainstream profession, couldn’t learn those.

That was where he differed from Chen Lu Qingshuang.

Though Chen Lu Qingshuang was also a hidden profession, she was essentially an archer.

If Huang Yunshuo were to describe the value of these two skill books in four words, it would be: priceless treasures!