城市猎人：系统升级之王

Chapter 14: Leveling Up Twice in Succession

Three rounds of wild punches later, Li Nianlong sensed his true qi dwindling, preventing him from unleashing another round. At this point, there were still over sixty people standing, and his earlier frenzied display had caught the attention of many. After his third round of attacks, Li Nianlong noticed that about a dozen pairs of eyes from both the Golden Snake Gang and the Wild Wolf Gang were fixated on him.
Realizing they were deliberately trying to surround him, Li Nianlong mentally cursed and grinned. "Carry on, guys, gotta go!"
He then unleashed his ultimate move—running away at full speed, instantly left the place."Damn it, don't run!" The dozen shouted, ready to give chase, but they were blocked by broadsword's hacking from the sides—members of the opposing gangs who hadn't noticed Li Nianlong's opportunistic tactics. "Who's running! I can take you all down myself!"
"Damn!"
The fortunate Li Nianlong, now safely hidden behind a stone pillar, eagerly checked his current status.
Li Nianlong: Level 2 (175/600 EXP)
Strength: 16
Speed: 16
True Qi: 1/16
Intelligence: 17
Unused Points: 10
Gift: Fortuitous Escape: Innately possesses the ability to sense danger and fortune, easily avoiding misfortune.
Skill: Wild Punch (Novice 6%): The untrained strikes that can defeat masters. Attacks are unstructured, leaving enemies bewildered. Increases strength by 10% and speed by 10% for 30 seconds. No cooldown, consumes 5 true qi per use.
Money: 195
Equipment: Brick (Durability 1/1): Garbage among garbage, unremarkable, weak damage, but painful when hitting someone, has a 1% chance to stun for 3 seconds when striking the head.
Fine Watermelon Knife (Durability 14/14): Damage +10. A very sharp weapon that can cause a tearing effect upon a successful hit, causing bleeding for 15 seconds, with the amount varying based on wound size.
Reviewing his stats, Li Nianlong was thrilled. Not only had he reached Level 2, but he also had 175 EXP, with each of his four main attributes increased by 5 points, and he had 10 unused points waiting to be allocated. His Wild Punch had progressed from Novice 1% to Novice 6%, his money had jumped from 30 to 195, and he now possessed a Fine Watermelon Knife alongside his pitiful brick.
The Fine Watermelon Knife was vastly superior to the brick in terms of durability (14/14), damage (+10), and its tearing effect. In a regular online game, it would be considered a high-quality base item.
Surveying his core attributes, Li Nianlong pondered for a moment before summoning Dragonfly with his thoughts.
"Congratulations, Host, on reaching Level 2." Dragonfly appeared in Li Nianlong's mind, smiling. "Is there anything Dragonfly can assist you with?"
Li Nianlong pointed to his unused points and asked, "What do you think I should allocate them on?"
Dragonfly's eyes lit up as it fluttered to hover above the four attributes. "Host, your current strength, speed, and intelligence are already four times that of an ordinary person, so I still recommend investing more points into true qi. With ample true qi, you can enhance your skills faster and unlock more benefits as your level and permissions increase."
Nodding, Li Nianlong first added a point to strength and speed, then allocated the remaining 8 points to true qi. This adjustment significantly altered his attributes.
Li Nianlong: Level 2 (175/600 EXP)
Strength: 17
Speed: 17
True Qi: 9/24
Intelligence: 17
Except for true qi, his other three attributes were now equal, following Dragonfly's suggestion for optimal allocation. Prioritizing true qi accumulation, followed by balanced growth in strength, speed, and intelligence was crucial. An imbalance where strength and speed exceeded intelligence meant one couldn't fully utilize those attributes, akin to a baby sitting amidst a pile of gold, wealthy yet incapable of protecting it. Conversely, if intelligence was too high compared to strength and speed, it would be underutilized, like using a cannon to swat mosquitoes. Hence, maintaining balance among these attributes was essential.
After reviewing his stats, Li Nianlong furrowed his brows and asked, "How long does it take to recover 1 point of true qi?"
"Below Level 10, every five minutes. Below Level 20, every minute. Below Level 30, every ten seconds. Below Level 40, every second. Below Level 50, 10 points per second. Below Level 60, 50 points per second. Below Level 70, 100 points per second. Below Level 80, 200 points per second. Below Level 90, 500 points per second. Below Level 100, 800 points per second. Above Level 100, 1000 points per second."
Just as Dragonfly finished, Li Nianlong's true qi recovered by 1 point.
"Didn't expect true qi recovery to be linked to my level." Li Nianlong sighed, gripping the Fine Watermelon Knife. "Let's aim for two more levels today." With that, he reentered the battlefield.
In the brief interval, only about twenty people remained standing, causing Li Nianlong immense heartache. Each fallen fighter represented lost experience!
Seizing the opportunity, Li Nianlong roared and joined the fray once more. With his watermelon knife, he ruthlessly cut down members of the Golden Snake Gang and the Wild Wolf Gang. Those still standing were the elite members of both gangs, distinguishable by the dark auras hovering above their heads, indicating their numerous misdeeds. Such 'monsters' granted bonus experience, and Li Nianlong saw them merely as stepping stones to boost his own level, showing no mercy in dispatching them.
With strength and speed quadrupled compared to ordinary humans, Li Nianlong was a tiger amidst sheep, wreaking havoc among the gang members.
"EXP +40, EXP +50, EXP +80, EXP +60... Level Up!"
Witnessing his soaring EXP and reaching Level 3, Li Nianlong grew increasingly excited. Although this was his first real-life killing spree, these were evil men, and after Uncle Guan's death, he had vowed revenge. To kill Long Zongheng, he had long prepared himself for bloodshed. Besides, he only killed the wicked; these criminals, having committed countless atrocities in life, now served as nourishment for his growth – perhaps their one good deed.
These twenty-odd individuals, marked with 'black names,' each provided twice the EXP of ordinary 'red-named' foes. Li Nianlong, moving like a ghost, cut down twenty-three of them within a minute, leaving only the leaders of the Golden Snake Gang and the Wild Wolf Gang. And just as Li Nianlong gained enormous of experience, he leveled up again, though he had no time to check, as the two leaders stood before him.
Though these two were merely leaders of small gangs, their skills were formidable. Li Nianlong, who initially sought a quick resolution, found his attacks blocked by their weapons. Recognizing them as tough nuts to crack, he focused on eliminating the others first. Now unimpeded, he discarded the nearly depleted Fine Watermelon Knife and faced them bare-handed, his gaze cold.
Killing the twenty-three had earned him substantial rewards, but he knew they were just common foes. The two leaders before him were the elite monsters, whose defeat promised greater spoils. Contemplating this, excitement flickered in Li Nianlong's eyes.
In contrast to Li Nianlong's excitement, the two gang leaders were terrified. The young man before them was terrifyingly fast and incredibly strong. A single strike of his watermelon knife against their steel weapons left noticeable dents and made their palms bleed. Their elites couldn't withstand a blow, being wiped out in mere seconds.
When did such a fearsome youth appear in Tianfu? Could he be from one of the prominent families?
"Who are you?" The Wild Wolf Gang leader, typically unruly and quick to attack the Golden Snake Gang leader, was now frightened and intimidated. Swallowing hard, he wondered if tomorrow would mark the anniversary of his death.
Li Nianlong sneered, offering no reply. Instead, he activated Wild Punch, ensnaring the two leaders.
Unprepared for Li Nianlong's sudden attack without any formalities, the leaders recognized him as a ruthless adversary. Realizing their fate, they unleashed their ferocity, roaring as they engaged Li Nianlong in combat.