Fallen Fortress
"Advanced?" The system notification pleasantly surprised Jiang Han.
He had expected a mere increase in certain attributes, not a direct promotion in rank!
"Mule, you've truly become more distinguished!" Jiang Han reached out and patted the Blue Scale Beast's head, smiling. "From a mere bronze-level mule to an advanced-level BOSS mount, your fortunes have certainly turned!"
"Huihui!" After the advancement, the Blue Scale Beast made two soft calls, its eyes expressing gratitude, as if understanding Jiang Han's words.
Later, Jiang Han, full of anticipation, opened the mount panel to inspect its attributes:
[Blue Scale Beast] (Mature Stage)
Tier: Advanced-level BOSS Mount
Level: 60
Movement Speed: 180%
Attack: 75%
Life: 100%
Effect: Resilience +50%
Special Skills: [Walk on Air]
Special Skills: [Loyal and Devoted]
Introduction: A seemingly ordinary mule, mutated under fortuitous circumstances with a strand of water qilin bloodline, possesses astonishing speed and the endurance of a mule...
Tsk, tsk, a substantial improvement in all aspects, and an additional accompanying special skill—
[Loyal and Devoted] (Passive) (Grade A): Additional 20% increase in rider's life and defense!
While [Walking on Air] was only a C-grade skill, reducing the environmental impact on movement speed, the newly acquired passive skill, [Loyal and Devoted], unexpectedly boosted the rider's attributes!
Riding the Blue Scale Beast, Jiang Han felt the likelihood of smoothly overcoming the exclusive main quest had significantly increased.
After calming the excitement within him, Jiang Han turned his attention to the two treasure maps wrapped inside the package.
One was a B-grade treasure map dropped by the Goblin King, not of significant value. The other was a "voluntarily" destroyed third-tier town, Ice Snow Town, rewarded by the system—
[Rare Treasure Map] (S-grade)
Introduction: As the name suggests, your gains will be substantial when you reach the treasure location.
It wasn't that he didn't want to use this treasure map as soon as possible. Rather, every time he considered using it, the system issued a reminder, causing the delay until now.
"Ding!~" System prompt: Do you want to use the [Rare Treasure Map]? (Note: The danger level of the indicated location is extremely high. Please ensure your strength is sufficient before proceeding.)
Extremely high danger level!
These six words were quite intimidating. However, if it was labeled as "high danger level," he would have used it. He couldn't fathom how much more difficult "extremely high" could be.
"But it doesn't make sense..." Jiang Han frowned, feeling something was amiss. "If the treasure map from destroying a third-tier town is extremely high in difficulty, wouldn't those from second and first-tier towns be even more exaggerated?"
Logically speaking, the final boss in Ice Snow Town was only of dark gold rank, so the rarity and difficulty of the treasure map should have limits.
"...Yes!" After careful consideration, Jiang Han chose to agree.
Even if it's harder, could it be more challenging than the exclusive main quest? Perhaps the rewards from this rare treasure map could turn the tide within the main quest?
Moreover, the rules required him to experience the exclusive main quest plot, and the authority of those rules was particularly high. If so, the likelihood of him dying before completing the exclusive main quest should correspondingly decrease, right?
Of course, this was another peculiar interpretation from a different perspective, and Jiang Han himself wasn't sure.
"Ding!~" System prompt: You have used the S-grade item [Rare Treasure Map], obtaining the treasure location: [Fallen Fortress], coordinates 1741, 4545. The treasure at this location will disappear in three days. Please make good use of your time!
"Where is the Fallen Fortress?" Jiang Han was bewildered, logging into the in-game forum directly to seek the information from knowledgeable players.
Inputting keywords, only a few posts appeared, accompanied by eerie panoramic images of a fortress surrounded by mist—
[Fallen Fortress] (First-tier Main City)
Introduction: Nestled in the depths of the dark faction, situated on the edge of a canyon, this gloomy city has a mysterious passage leading to purgatory. It is the fourth-ranked Fallen Angel, Sela's stronghold.
"..." After reading the introduction, Jiang Han fell into silence.
The first-tier main city guarded by the Fallen Angel Sela?
This treasure location was truly outrageous!
"As fellow members of the dark faction, I hope that even if discovered by the demonic gods, they can be as easy to negotiate with as Ralph." Jiang Han smiled wryly, riding the Blue Scale Beast towards the depths of the dark faction.
Abandon the rare treasure?
How could that be possible!
It's just that the hiding place was tricky and dangerous, but it didn't necessarily mean the quest difficulty was high.
"Tatatat..." The Blue Scale Beast sprinted, its speed astonishing. Jiang Han sat on top, feeling the wild wind rushing towards him.
After about half an hour, Jiang Han reached his destination, the eerie fortress on the edge of the canyon.
Similar to the Misty City, the Fallen Fortress was shrouded in mysterious black fog. On the heavy city gates, golden skeletons roamed. Without using the Insight Eye, Jiang Han knew they were high-level monsters far beyond the current stage.
"Ding!~" System prompt: You have entered the dangerous map [Fallen Fortress]!
Circling around the city gate, Jiang Han canceled the mount status, relying on the stone blocks for cover, quietly approaching the fortress. He tried to find the next cover during the continuous duration of war trampling, carefully making his way to the base of the fortress wall.
Looking up, Jiang Han roughly estimated the towering wall to be around twenty-four or twenty-five meters high. He immediately summoned the Blue Scale Beast but didn't choose to ride. Instead, he stood on the beast's head, reducing the height difference with the wall, and then...
War Trampling!
"Boom!" The Blue Scale Beast's head was pressed down with tremendous force. Jiang Han leaped with all his might, utilizing the SS-grade skill's "greatly increased jumping height" to soar directly towards the city tower.
Just ten meters more... five meters...
Jiang Han's eyes brightened, seeing the hope of leaping onto the tower. However, as he prepared to reach out and grab the protruding eaves of the tower, he found them gradually moving away.
Not in a descent but still rising!
Five meters... ten meters...
Jiang Han: "???"
It wasn't a fall, but he was still ascending!
Until surpassing a height of about fifteen meters above the city tower, Jiang Han finally began to descend, quickly canceling the skill. He landed lightly on the tower, afraid of making too much noise.
The jumping height of War Trampling was indeed too exaggerated!
Crouching, Jiang Han was left speechless.
Standing on the Blue Scale Beast, he had feared the jumping height might be insufficient, but he didn't expect it to exceed this much.
Afterward, he stored the Blue Scale Beast, patiently waiting for a minute. He used War Trampling again to jump down from the city, smoothly entering the city, avoiding the sight of countless monsters.
He headed towards the designated coordinates.
Almost there!
After a moment, he found the direction indicated by the coordinates—
The Lord's Mansion.
"Hiss..." Jiang Han took a cold breath.
He was truly infiltrating the demon's lair!
What did the treasure map's location mean? Was it asking him to rob a house?
With a sneer, he used War Trampling to easily leap over the mansion walls.
Compared to the interior of the city, the guards at the mansion were extremely lax. Moving along the wall, Jiang Han encountered no high-level monsters. He easily reached the coordinates, a room.
Glancing around to confirm no one was present, Jiang Han pushed open the window and jumped in.
"Ding!~" System prompt: You have entered the map [Lord's Bedchamber]!
"!!!" Jiang Han's pupils suddenly contracted, standing frozen by the window like he'd been struck by lightning.
The Lord's Bedchamber!
These four words meant that this room was highly likely to be Sela's daily residence!
But!
That wasn't the key issue. The problem was in his field of vision. In the empty room, there sat a woman with black wings on her back, around the age of thirty or forty. She wore plain clothes, mature and elegant, sitting at the table, delicately sipping tea, appearing composed and indifferent.
Was she the Fallen Angel Sela?
Seeing the intruder, she placed the teacup down, raised her eyes. She stared silently, without uttering a word.
Jiang Han's mouth twitched, a dry smile forming. "Hello, sister. I believe... there must be some misunderstanding here!"