Chapter 271: A Clue

Chapter 271: Chapter 271: A Clue

Seraphina Sinclair ran out of patience and scrolled through the chat log directly to Mountainwind’s latest message.

He had sent an image, acting like some old-school functionary; whatever people asked for, he’d post in the group.

[A Clue]

[Description: A special item with no grade. This is a highly time-sensitive item. When you encounter it on this path, the Sheepskin Scroll depicts the appearance of the path’s BOSS. So? Seems a bit pointless, doesn’t it? After all, you’ll find out what the BOSS looks like the moment you meet it anyway. Think it’s useless? How superficial, my friend! When you’ve seen this clue, the BOSS you encounter will be weakened by one entire grade!]

Weakened by one entire grade?!!

Seraphina Sinclair’s pupils suddenly widened.

That was an entire grade—a full three stages.

If the BOSS was truly C-level, then the survivors who had seen this clue would encounter a D-level BOSS.

The difference between the two was immense!

The group chat was instantly flooded with a torrent of messages, the previous tension and worry completely washed away by a sudden, wild joy.

"Holy crap! Is that for real?! Dropping from C-level to D-level? That’s a night-and-day difference in difficulty!"

"Does everyone who sees it get the buff, or how does it work?"

"Isn’t the Description perfectly clear? It takes effect just by seeing it. We really lucked out."

"This is practically a Divine Artifact! The effect is so useful! If this works, isn’t it basically a free BOSS-kill reward?!"

"Most of us have killed a path BOSS at some point, right? The reward for that is a Legendary Equipment Lottery Ticket! When you think about it like that, the value of this thing is incalculable. And Master Mountainwind... Master Mountainwind just posted it for everyone to see?"

"Master Mountainwind is so generous. It’s funny, before everyone was worried sick about running into the BOSS, and now? Now I bet everyone’s dying to find it."

"Well, we’ll see who gets lucky, haha. And if we’re talking pure strength, I think Master Blacktiger has the best shot."

"The item’s effect should only work for survivors in the Misty Forest, right?"

"Definitely! The BOSS’s appearance screams Misty Forest. It would be absurd if it also worked in Thundering Gorge."

"Hey, isn’t anyone going to look out for us guys who chose Thundering Gorge? How come we never get anything?!"

A wave of laughter followed that message, and seeing it made the corners of Seraphina Sinclair’s mouth lift slightly.

But after posting that message, Mountainwind went silent.

The next message was from Chrona.

[Chrona]: Everyone. We who chose the Misty Forest got a huge break. Shouldn’t we give Master Mountainwind some supplies in return?

As soon as this message appeared, the brief uproar in the group died down instantly.

No one in this group was a fool; they all understood what Chrona meant.

Mountainwind could have kept the item secret after he found it, enjoying the weakened BOSS benefit all to himself or sharing it with only a select few.

But instead, he had generously made it public, allowing every survivor on the Misty Forest path to benefit.

It was a significant favor, to be sure.

After a short silence, people began to respond one by one.

[Artemis]: I agree. I’ve sent you a D-level material. Maybe it can reinforce your mobile cabin. A small token of my thanks.

[Seaview]: Haha, that’s right! I’ve got plenty of monster meat here, and the quality is decent. Don’t turn your nose up at it, Wind, take it for your reserves!

...

The group chat was flooded with messages of thanks.

The items people offered might not have been top-tier treasures, but they were all quite practical and had clearly been chosen with care.

At the time, however, Seraphina Sinclair was still inside the Wind-carved Fissure, so she hadn’t participated.

She also glimpsed a couple of messages discussing her, but since they weren’t saying anything harsh, she let it go.

Mountainwind’s message came at the end of the flood of thanks. His tone was as hearty as ever, but he wasn’t being modest:

[Mountainwind]: Haha, thanks for your kindness, everyone! Chrona, you’re always making things complicated for me. But with friends this enthusiastic, it’d be pretentious of me to refuse. I’m actually short on these things, so I’ll gladly take them! Next time I find something good, I’ll be sure to share it with you all in the group!

"You’re too kind, Wind!"

"Wind, your luck is unreal! Did that item drop from those pangolins?"

"Give us more details, Wind! We guys in Thundering Gorge want an item like that too!"

"Just gonna ask him straight out? Aren’t you going to follow the group’s rules?"

Those had to be followed.

The person who asked must have sent over a lot of stuff, because Mountainwind spoke up again:

[Mountainwind]: You’re too generous, really. A small token would’ve been fine. I feel bad taking so much.

That was what he said, but Seraphina Sinclair didn’t see him making any move to return the items.

The person who’d asked spoke up again, this time with an expectant tone, "Come on, Wind, stop keeping us in suspense. How did you get it?"

[Mountainwind]: Heh, it’s a strange story. You know how my mobile cabin was being messed with by those burrowing critters? There were more than ten monsters of all sizes—F-level, E-level, and even D-level! After I finished dealing with all of them, the Supply Boxes appeared.

[Mountainwind]: Boxes of all different grades were arranged in a circle, with the item sitting in the middle like some kind of tribute. Plus, the picture on it was so terrifying, I thought it was some kind of bad omen.

The moment that message appeared, the group chat fell silent.

Everyone had thought Mountainwind was such a kind person, but now it was clear he had just been too indecisive and had posted it for everyone else to vet.

Seraphina Sinclair understood now, too.

’She had been wondering earlier how someone could forget to use Insight.’

’Now it was obvious: he’d been scared stiff and it had completely slipped his mind.’

The silence in the group confirmed it. The previously fever-pitch atmosphere of gratitude cooled down in an instant.

Everyone was smart; Mountainwind’s phrase, "I thought it was some kind of bad omen," said it all.

Mountainwind seemed to realize he’d misspoken and simply went silent.

[IntrovertedUniGuy189]: Heh, so that’s how it is. Wind wasn’t sure what to make of it himself, so he decided to drag us all in to test the waters.

The guy was blunt, his words dripping with sarcasm.

It was a classic case of kicking a man while he’s down; a few others chimed in to agree.

In the end, it was Artemis who stepped in to smooth things over:

[Artemis]: Regardless, the outcome of sharing this information benefits us. The weakened BOSS is a tangible result. Mountainwind’s original motive isn’t important.

Seraphina Sinclair agreed with that.

She opened a private chat with Mountainwind, sent over a few runes, and attached a concise, clear message: A token of gratitude.