Surviving the Ancient Angst Novel [Transmigration] - Chapter 17

【I can!】 the system guaranteed. 【Yinchen, just leave it to me.】

The even-tempered Guide took the lot container from another Green Jade’s hand, rummaged through it, and selected a few stalks. He then walked toward us and let us choose.

The two White Jade boys rushed forward, shoving and grabbing at each other for a lot, terrified that the good ones would be taken if they delayed. As it turned out, their luck was indeed good; both of their stalks were marked with the white character for “Hero.”

The boys let out sighs of relief, walking to the side like survivors of a disaster to whisper among themselves.

“Thank god. Neither of us drew it.” “Then those two…” “One of them is definitely finished!”

Me: “…”

Nie Gaoming smiled and tilted his head toward me. “You first, or me?” He was being quite the gentleman, acting as if the decision were entirely up to me.

I glanced at him and stayed rooted to the spot. “Either way.”

Nie Gaoming’s smile deepened with an inscrutable meaning. “Then, I’ll go first?”

“Mm.” I pressed my tongue against my cheek and nodded with a look of utter disinterest.

Nie Gaoming stepped forward, leaning in close to the two stalks which looked identical and studied them intently. He muttered something under his breath and even blew a soft breath toward the Guide’s hand. He was acting quite eccentric.

Standing nearby, Zhang Xian watched with growing fury, his eyes bulging like brass bells. “You brat, are you trying to—”

Before the word “die” could leave his mouth, Nie Gaoming snatched a lot with lightning speed. He gave a deep bow to the even-tempered Guide. “Many thanks, Master, for granting the lot.”

Zhang Xian’s fist was already half-cocked in the air; he couldn’t hit him and he couldn’t quite lower it, looking incredibly awkward. The even-tempered Guide pressed his hand down and used a few soft words to soothe him.

At that moment, Nie Gaoming finally looked at the lot in his hand. His expression shifted, and he turned a stiff gaze toward the Guide. The Guide met his eyes, looked down at his own hand, and bit his lip in frustration.

Watching this, everything became clear. These two were definitely in cahoots!

Zhang Xian snatched the last lot from the Guide’s tight grip and tossed it to me. “Your turn, brat.”

I caught it and looked: the white character for “Hero.”

Excellent. I had safely reached the shore!

Across from me, Nie Gaoming snapped his lot in half, his face devoid of a smile for the first time. Going for the wool and coming back shorn.

I smiled, flicking the lot with my finger and lowering my lashes to hide the mockery in my eyes. It wasn’t easy, but even the great “Supporting Character Nie” had a moment where he couldn’t keep up the act. It seemed that “Massacre” was truly a place one must never go.

With the drawing finished, the even-tempered Guide distributed the jade strings. I took my white string and was about to restring my jade when a Guide stopped me.

“Wait.”

I looked up, puzzled.

“Ahem,” Zhang Xian cleared his throat and said seriously, “Since you’ve made it out of the White Jade hunting ground alive, do you choose to promote to Green Jade, or stay at your current rank?”

The scene went silent.

Do you want to promote? Of course you do! Who would complain about higher status? But the White Jade hunting ground was already this ruthless; wouldn’t the Green Jade one be…?

Thinking of this, one of the boys asked timidly, “If we promote to Green Jade… will we get a… more powerful Master to teach us martial arts?”

He was a Lower White, so his assigned Master was a Green Jade. Every time that Green Jade appeared, he simply threw a “martial arts manual” of unknown origin at them and told them to practice on their own. If they asked questions, the Master said he didn’t understand it either that it was something his Master had thrown at him and he was just hoping a brilliant disciple would teach themselves and then explain it to him.

In short, completely unreliable!

Zhang Xian let out a snort, staring at the boy with a mocking “in your dreams” look until the boy shut his mouth and hung his head, not daring to say another word.

The even-tempered Guide sighed and explained the situation patiently. It turned out that the Master assigned to you upon entering was the final “Newcomer Perk.” As the saying goes, “A teacher for a day is a father for life.” Since you had formally acknowledged them, you could consult them with any future problems. Usually, a Master would answer as long as he understood the topic. If you were thick-skinned and brilliant enough, he might even teach you how to better survive in the Eastern Wasteland. After all, if you became successful, it only benefited him.

Most people who applied to be Newcomer Masters did so to build their own power base, so they wouldn’t just abandon you. Furthermore, among your classmates, there were bound to be one or two standouts. if you maintained good relationships, when they rose to power in the future, you would rise with them.

Where there are people, there is a “Jianghu” (underworld). There were many hidden paths to power.

At this point, the even-tempered Guide stopped talking. A smart person would understand immediately; as for a blockhead, explaining until the flowers bloomed wouldn’t help.

I listened and rubbed my nose, feeling a bit guilty. Well, I didn’t exactly acknowledge my Master properly, I didn’t go to a single martial arts class, and I certainly didn’t make friends with my ‘hidden dragon’ classmates. I had taken a winning hand and played it like garbage. I hadn’t seized any of those excellent resources or perfect connections.

Of course, I hadn’t planned to. My goal was to stay at the bottom. Rising to power? Sorry, this background extra says “No thanks.”

Even so, I was subjected to the jealous glares of those two White Jade boys.

“I’ll stay.” “I’ll stay at White Jade too.”

The boys made their choices reluctantly. Their strength simply didn’t allow them to be reckless.

“What about you two little bastards?” Zhang Xian looked at Nie Gaoming and me.

I folded my arms, stroking my chin in thought. My main missions hadn’t started yet, and I had no idea what the encounter missions would be; I couldn’t guarantee that in three months, I’d have the strength to clear the Green Jade hunt. In the short term, relying on Teleport was out of the question—the cooldown was too long and the distance was laughably short. The so-called “Legendary Skill” was basically a joke.

Choosing to promote meant higher status, more privileges, and less bullying. After all, White Jade was a status so low it was in the dirt; even a passing dog could trample on you.

However, as an average person with no apparent skills, promoting too fast had downsides: I’d be prone to jealousy and ostracization. If I didn’t promote, fewer people would envy me or watch me, making it easier for me to hide in the crowd and be a quiet background character.

So, to promote, or not to promote? It was a difficult choice.

System: 【The three ranks with the largest populations in the Eastern Wasteland are White, Green, and Yellow. For a Host wanting to hide among the masses, you can promote without worry; at most, you’ll draw the attention of a few ‘extra’ cannon fodder. They are few in number and have low impact. Furthermore, Green Jade unlocks new maps many encounters and many rewards!】

‘I see…’ I raised my eyes and looked at the morose blue-robed boy beside me. ‘Let’s see what he chooses first.’

Nie Gaoming’s complexion looked slightly better now. It was hard to tell if he had accepted his fate in Massacre or if he simply wasn’t afraid. He looked down at the white jade in his hand. Thinking of something, his eyes flickered once, then twice.

Just as I was wondering if he was going to turn himself into a flickering LED light to brighten the night, the corners of his mouth twitched upward. He raised his head, lowered his hand, and said calmly:

“I’ll stay at White Jade,” Nie Gaoming stated clearly.

I raised an eyebrow in surprise. ‘I thought he would choose to promote.’

The system grumbled: 【This guy is up to no good.】

‘I know.’ I moved my hand from my chin to behind my back and looked squarely at Zhang Xian’s impatient gaze.

“I’ll promote.”

Zhang Xian froze, then suddenly burst into a loud laugh, pointing at me. “You’ve got guts, kid! You can’t judge a book by its cover!”

Can’t judge a book by its cover?

I was puzzled: ‘System, do I look weak?’

【Emmm, like you saw before… you’re malnourished. You’re a bag of bones~】

I wasn’t having it: ‘Doesn’t my height alone crush the others?’

System: 【…Straighten your back before you talk.】

I smiled: ‘Oh, okay. I’m satisfied with that effect.’

System: 【…】 Why did it feel like it had been played?

Beside me, Nie Gaoming was stunned by my choice and immediately recanted: “I’ll promote too!”

Zhang Xian’s face darkened. “You can’t—!”

Before he could finish, the even-tempered Guide stepped on his foot.

“Xiao Lang, why did you step on me!” Zhang Xian looked at him, confused.

Xiao Lang cut in: “Changes are allowed.”

Zhang Xian’s thick eyebrows shot up; for the first time, he didn’t defer to Xiao Lang. “Once a choice is made, it cannot be changed. Those are the rules. If the higher-ups find out, you, I, and they,” he pointed to the Guides behind him, “will all be punished!”

Xiao Lang looked at Nie Gaoming. The two exchanged a glance, and then Xiao Lang leaned in to whisper something in Zhang Xian’s ear.

Zhang Xian looked hesitant. “Are you sure?”

Xiao Lang nodded.

Zhang Xian looked at the Guides behind him. Xiao Lang grabbed his arm and tugged. “It’s fine. I’ve got it.”

Only then did Zhang Xian agree. I watched the scene with curiosity. You can actually do that?