Origin Paradise!

Chapter 4 The Sacred Relic of the Heart

Cabin in the woods.

Jiang He carefully inspected the room, and then heard a second Origin Battlefield notification sound. It seemed that he had encountered a series of quests.

[Task trigger conditions have been met]

[Task Type: Daily Task]

[Quest Name: The Secret of the Heart-Eating Tribe]

[Mission Objective: Destroy the Heart-Eating Relic]

[Task Rewards: ① 150 Experience Points, 150 Game Coins]

[Quest Reward ②: 1 Random Rare Quality Scroll]

[Task Penalty: None]

Jiang He pushed open the door to the main house. The interior was quite simple, with only four iron beds, a bathroom, and a kitchen. After confirming that there were no remaining zombies, he checked the toothbrush and found a cigarette case and a lighter. Three people were stationed at this observation point, indicating that Leviathan Company did not have as many people as he had imagined.

As the notification ended, Jiang He chose to accept the mission. After completing the mission, more detailed information was revealed to him. The missions in the Origin Battlefield were divided into three categories: [Daily Missions], [Derivative Missions], and [World Missions].

The [Daily Tasks] require meeting certain trigger conditions in daily life. Each player must participate once every two weeks, otherwise a forced dispatch will be triggered. During this period, the time flow rate of the task location and the player's location will be the same.

The details of the [Derivative Mission] are currently unknown. There are no mandatory requirements, and there is a half-month interval between activations. It is relatively dangerous but offers generous rewards. No matter how much time passes during the mission, it is one second in the real world.

[World Quests] have the least information, require a "pass" to participate, and have the same intervals and time flow as [Branch Quests].

In all three types of missions, death is real. However, in general, Origins gives some players the leeway to coast through the day, as there are usually no penalties for daily missions, and players can even apply for assistance if they don't consider the consequences.

After all, since the game started a year ago, the various countries must have taken countermeasures.

However, the process of obtaining qualifications by killing players makes the Origin Battlefield more like a dark primeval jungle. On the other hand, the fact that game currency cannot be exchanged for real currency is bound to impact the existing currency system in the future.

"Gold may appreciate in value."

Jiang He resisted the urge to make a quick buck. In the long run, compared to extraordinary power, worldly money was just a pittance.

He went to the kitchen and found two household gas cylinders. This isolated island belonged to the Southern Yue Kingdom, where electricity development was inadequate. Leviathan Company adopted a semi-closed model, and the stationed personnel had to solve their own food and water problems.

According to relevant data, the explosive force of a 10-liter household gas cylinder is equivalent to the energy released by 150 kilograms of TNT, which can destroy a two-story building. The explosion is divided into two parts: the first is the explosion of the cylinder that causes a shock wave, and the second is the chemical explosion caused by the mixture of oil and air coming into contact with an open flame.

Jiang He took everything out of the pouch, then turned on the valve of the gas cylinder, kicked it hard, and quickly put it in. Next, he raised his hand to collect the air in the surrounding environment, and finally pressed the lighter and threw it in to keep the gas cylinder company.

In an instant, his body seemed to shudder violently.

The item pouch was ablaze with red, but as expected, the player's panel withstood the explosion.

The second gas cylinder was inserted, and the flames grew even brighter. Just by looking at it, one could almost feel the scorching heat. As the flames rose, oxygen was consumed, generating intense heat radiation.

Jiang He raised his hand as if it were a gun. He had a premonition that he could launch a pretty good attack. The energy from the two gas cylinders would be concentrated and sprayed from his fingertips, at the cost of suffering some aftershocks.

In the final step, he inserted the greatsword at the right angle, like a solid bullet in a cannon barrel.

"We might have to be careful about searching for explosives in the future..."

[Upon inspection, a loophole was found in the surface-level rules of the Origin game, and player 79966 was found to be seeking unfair advantages. A deeper response plan has been immediately activated… The Pillar of Eternal Marrow is conducting internal notarization, based on rule number 10001: The game should ensure fair competition.]

[Internal notarization concluded, and Origin Game issues the following ruling: ① Fix the bug caused by the player's item inventory. ② Player 79966 is banned for 100 Eternal Years.]

Jiang He frowned and said coldly, "I protest. Why should I pay for the problems with the Origin Game? The normal result derived from multiple reasonable steps is being labeled with improper words. This is wrong."

[Tested... Rule 10003: Ensure players' fair profits... Program initiated... Pillar of Eternity...]

[Internal notarization concluded, and Origin Game issues the following ruling: ① The bug caused by the player's item pouch is fixed. ② Player 79966 is granted special usage rights to the item pouch.]

Jiang He was speechless; this verdict reminded him of the mountain of shit code in programming.

Half an hour passed, and no external attacks occurred.

During this time, Jiang He thoroughly checked the computer at the outpost again, replenished his fresh water supply, and re-entered the dense forest. He carried a crossbow, a pistol, and a dagger, and changed into the company uniform of the man who committed suicide. The tactical gloves, patrol backpack, helmet, and night vision goggles were all freebies.

According to the files on the computer, the island is currently in chaos, with company employees, death row inmates, and TV guests mostly concentrated on the side of the island closer to the South Vietnamese territory. There is a small town there for rest and recuperation. For the guests and death row inmates, returning to the world of order through the town is their only way to survive. As expected, company employees are intercepting them and have built trenches and bunkers. Once Leviathan's support arrives, everything will be settled.

Jiang He followed the trail, advancing two miles to the side, and found the corpse of the strange fox in a natural stone cave. The crossbow bolt had pierced the creature's chest cavity and surrounding major blood vessels, leaving a thick layer of blood. He took out a dagger and peeled off the fox's heart. The mission involved the Heart-Eating Clan, and this thing might be useful.

……

In the early morning, the island was shrouded in thick fog.

In the northern town, two rows of residential areas appeared dilapidated, with flames still faintly burning in several houses. A death row inmate crossed the street and was shot dead by staff members in the distance.

Taking advantage of the opening, another person rushed out of the block and quickly got into a car parked on the side of the road. The wheels spun wildly, kicking up puffs of white smoke. Just then, the sniper in the shadows fired, hitting the driver precisely in the chest.

Twelve fully armed workers were stationed at the makeshift port at the edge of the town. In addition to snipers, they had also set up a heavy machine gun, providing them with ample firepower. The group had dug a trench, and not far ahead, hordes of zombies lay dead.

After the driver died, the car seemed to veer out of control toward a house on the other side of the street, crashing into a wall and the doors were flung open.

Jiang He quietly climbed out of the back seat, using the car body and the firelight in the distance to conceal himself. He used his large cleaver to pry open the isolation netting on the ground next to him. Below was a vertical passage mentioned in the stronghold's records. He climbed in, stretched out his limbs to support himself against the passage wall, and fell steadily, landing softly in the rainwater collection pool.

The entire residence is the above-ground structure of the bunker.

Inside the bunker, a strong man leisurely ate breakfast. The bacon was fried until golden brown on both sides, accompanied by milk, soft-boiled eggs, and a few pieces of steaming hot buttered bread, as if he were on vacation in the wild.

"Captain Horney, we just shot and killed two death row inmates," a staff member serving as deputy team leader reported.

Honey nodded, took out a satellite phone, and made contact with the company staff and troops. The distance from Western Europe to South Vietnam was far, and the troops changed vehicles when passing through Central Asia, which caused a slight delay.

"Guard the port. Keep those two ships as bait. You can decide whether to detonate them if necessary. Continue to contact the various outposts and get support arriving by tomorrow evening. Make sure to capture that monster who controls the dead. The defense line is in your hands."

"Understood." The deputy team leader saluted. Being fully in charge of the island incident was undoubtedly an opportunity to impress the company's senior management.

Seeing the other party leave, Horney wiped his mouth with a napkin, got up and walked into the closed interrogation room. The lights were dim. Of the three prisoners, two women were already dead, and the remaining middle-aged man was tightly bound and covered in wounds.

Honey sneered, picked up the long whip covered in barbs next to him, and lashed it down hard at the middle-aged man's face. A bloody mark appeared instantly, and the whip almost ripped off half of the man's nose.

The middle-aged man groaned in pain, but before he could utter a sound, Horney grabbed a can of pepper spray and poured it down his throat.

“Dr. Ryan, we’re old friends. Tell me how to become a player.” Honey sat down and said kindly, “Times have indeed changed. Before, if anyone dared to say that one person could destroy five strongholds, I would just laugh. Who wouldn’t want that kind of power? You should take the initiative to contribute your extraordinary power, and I will give you a chance to escape.”

Dr. Ryan roared silently, the pepper spray destroying his sense of taste and turning his eyes bloodshot.

Honey patiently said, "Once the company's troops arrive, you will definitely not give up on taking revenge on me after you are arrested. So before that, I will definitely kill you unless you give me what you want, and then we will go our separate ways."

Horney removed the pocket watch from the other man's neck, opened it, and found a photograph of a boy inside.

"Is this your son? I remember him. He was so handsome, perfect for being cut up piece by piece."

Horney reverted to his stern demeanor, wielding a small hammer-like instrument that brought it down with a brutal force. Blood splattered, and the sound of something shattering seemed to echo in the interrogation room. Most men could not endure such pain.

Dr. Ryan's mouth gaped open, veins bulged on his forehead, and he arched his body like a shrimp, the excruciating pain bringing him to the brink of unconsciousness.

Horney clapped his hands, looking pleased.

After a long while, Dr. Ryan began to sob, his voice broken and intermittent.

"Extraordinary...player..."

"If only you had been this sensible earlier."

Honey leaned down, and Ryan suddenly turned his head and bit the other's ear.

In a fit of rage, Horney chopped Ryan in the ribs, forcing Ryan to abandon his attack. Just then, an arm emerged from the shadows, and a dagger slashed across Horney's neck, severing his carotid artery and trachea, causing blood to gush out.

Jiang He sheathed his dagger. He was soaking wet from the water tank. If he cut off the carotid artery, the enemy could still struggle. If he cut off the trachea, the screams would alert others. Only by cutting off both of them could he make a proper sneak attack from behind. The feel of it was no different from butchering a fish.

Chapter 5 Cinnabar Mirrors and Monoculars

In the interrogation room.

Dr. Ryan managed to remain calm as excruciating pain surged through his mind like a tidal wave. He focused his attention on the man before him. The man's upper body was slightly bulky, and a black cloth covered his face. The company uniform was genuine, but the trousers didn't fit him quite right.

Dr. Ryan looked up, panting heavily, and said, "You killed Horny, who is in charge of the hunting game. The company will not let you off the hook. If you came for supernatural power, then I'm sorry, I will never tell you, but I can hand over the supernatural item in exchange for a chance to live."

Jiang He did not approach, but instead raised his pistol.

A few minutes later, Dr. Ryan used a thin needle hidden in the heel of his palm to unlock the handcuffs. Instantly, the entire interrogation room lit up with red lights. Both men present were stunned for a moment because the handcuffs looked very ordinary and did not resemble high-tech equipment at all.

Jiang He opened the insurance policy, gradually applying psychological pressure.

Dr. Ryan reached out and pressed down, quickly saying, "Hey, friend, no need to be nervous. Horney wants to monopolize the superpowers. There's no one else here, and he even disabled the sound alarm beforehand. Damn it, he's sure I have a way to escape."

Dr. Ryan's expression was not good. He took out two small bottles of healing potion and drank them. The liquid was bright red and dripping. His external injuries improved significantly in a short time. However, to rebuild the lost organs, he would have to use a large healing potion, which was not available for sale at the moment.

"Look, any external injury can be healed with just one or two bottles. This is something all superhumans dream of, and I only have..."

"Your panel access will be granted immediately."

The scene fell silent for a few seconds before Dr. Ryan said angrily, "Damn it, you're a damn player."

Jiang He browsed the panel expressionlessly. The opponent's level was LV6, and their strength, physique, and agility were no different from a normal person. However, their mental value was as high as 12 points. Their shooting skills were LV3, biology proficiency was LV1, vehicle driving skills were LV1, and wilderness reconnaissance skills were LV1.

In addition, there are two active skills: rare-quality virus cultivation and common-quality limb surgery. The status of the item bag is unknown. The current mission is to escape the isolated island.

Jiang He knew that the effects of mental attributes were wide-ranging and of great significance to summoning players. Controlling beasts, insects, zombies, etc., required reaching certain standards. With the opponent's high attributes, he could probably control one or two hundred zombies.

"Since we're both players, don't try to fool me with small potions. It's a rare quality item. If you try to bargain, I'll pull the trigger."

Dr. Ryan hesitated for a long time before taking out a palm-sized mirror with dozens of cinnabar pills inlaid on the edge. He looked reluctant and said, "This island only has one port. If you want to escape, you have to be an enemy of the company. We are natural allies. This is my most valuable possession."

Jiang He let the cinnabar mirror fall to the ground and continued, "I have a special skill. You also have a piece of equipment on you to conceal your appearance. Take it out."

Dr. Ryan was filled with doubt and uncertainty. After a short while, he couldn't help but show a look of genuine heartache. The piece of equipment was a monocle, and although it was only of ordinary quality, its value was higher than that of the cinnabar mirror.

"Medicine."

Dr. Ryan: "..."

"Oh my God! You're like a damned, hungry brown bear that wakes up in winter. Am I a salmon in the river? You wretched bastard."

Jiang He squatted down with his gun and picked up two props and two small bottles of healing potion. He guessed that the other party had more good stuff, but continuing would only lead to mutual destruction.

[Title: The Mirror of Cinnabar]

[Type: Detection Item]

[Rank: Rare]

[Effect: By placing cinnabar pills in advance, players can observe the image of the target location through a mirror for half a month, with one pill replenished every three days.]

[Note: Portable camera]

……

[Name: Gentleman's Lens]

[Type: Disguise Item]

[Quality: Average]

[Effect: Creates a new, illusory appearance based on bone structure]

[Note: Bone structure remains unchanged, and the illusory appearance remains unchanged.]

……

Jiang He put on his monocle and removed the black cloth strip. Given the current situation of the players in the Dark Forest, disguise and concealment are necessary. As long as a level 6 player isn't stupid, they will most likely actively collect and exchange such items. He doesn't have any special skills, and the other party can probably guess a little. They just don't want to gamble, and honestly paying a certain amount of benefits is the only way to change their disadvantageous position.

Dr. Ryan was not surprised that the person before him had transformed into a blond-haired, blue-eyed man. He stood up and calmly said:

“I could die with you in this confined space, but as I said, we are allies.”

"Honey is a madman who would do anything for superhuman power. It was because of his suggestion that the company decided to adopt the hunting game model to try to actively generate players."

"But just because Honey doesn't know that player accounts can be transferred doesn't mean the company doesn't know. They're the real gluttons. We have to get off this island by tomorrow evening."

Jiang He nodded. In short, the hunting game was an experiment by Leviathan Corporation, who had always been very interested in the extraordinary.

"There are two ships in the town's harbor, both loaded with bombs, and the deputy team leader has control of them."

Dr. Ryan extended his hand and said, "Then let's team up. At least before we leave the island, there's no need for us to fall out."

When players temporarily team up, they can reduce each other's damage by 50%. Teaming up requires the consent of both parties and can be canceled unilaterally, but the other party will be notified immediately after the cancellation.

Soon, Jiang He received an invitation on his control panel.

[Player ID 55**3 has sent you a party invitation. Do you accept?]

Jiang He agreed, and Dr. Ryan made no attempt to hide his relief, then changed into Horney's clothes.

The two walked out of the interrogation room. The bunker was still empty. Horney had given himself enough time before the interrogation.

Ryan headed straight to the kitchen and eagerly opened several cans of food; he had been starving.