Chapter Six: Provoked

Early the next morning, Shen Ce awoke. After washing up, enjoying a hearty breakfast, and completing his exercises, he finally laid himself into the specially designed high-grade nutrient pod for "Heaven’s Dominion." Instantly, the world before his eyes shifted: beneath his feet, endless white clouds unfurled; above, a celestial temple floated in the air, ethereal and unattached, gazing down upon him. A haunting, ancient melody drifted to his ears—a song that seemed to echo from time immemorial, distant and desolate.

“Iris and brainwave scan complete. Welcome, dear player Zero, to ‘Heaven’s Dominion.’ Let your extraordinary adventure begin.” With the advent of fully immersive online games, player identification now relied on accurate iris recognition, allowing each person only a single in-game ID. The days of ambiguous player identities were over.

Bathed in the gentle, melodious voice of the system, Shen Ce found himself once more on the street where he had previously logged out. The once-deserted avenue was now bustling with players. Clearly, others were leveling up quickly as well. Remembering the small gap left to reach level 24, Shen Ce immediately headed for the northern reaches of the Frostleaf Plains. Along the way, he received three invitations to join parties, but declined each one without hesitation.

Following the coordinates displayed on his quest panel, Shen Ce at last discovered the habitat of the Violet-Horned Rhinoceros. To his surprise, despite its name, the creature’s horns were more of a deep blue than violet, and its body was cloaked in a dusky black, resembling a real-world rhinoceros. Why the game’s designers had named it thus remained a mystery.

He retrieved the "Beginner’s Reconnaissance" skill book, acquired from Han Qishao, from his inventory. Silently reciting the word “learn” in his mind, the entire book dissolved into a flash of white light and vanished from his hand. Instantly, a new skill appeared in his abilities list: "Beginner’s Reconnaissance" (upgradeable)—allows the user to probe NPCs, players, or monsters within three meters and up to five levels above their own, revealing level and relevant information. Cooldown: 30 seconds.

After mastering the skill, Shen Ce cast it on three nearby Violet-Horned Rhinoceroses. The system promptly revealed their levels and health: all between level 20 and 23, with health significantly higher than ordinary monsters of the same rank. Clearly, these were high-defense beasts, though their attack power remained uncertain.

To play it safe, Shen Ce buffed himself with "Blessing of the Goddess of Dawn." A gentle warmth surged through his body, accelerating his recovery and slightly boosting the power of his light magic. Once prepared, he launched a ranged light spell at a level 20 Violet-Horned Rhinoceros. The beast bellowed furiously, lowering its dark blue horns to charge at him. Though not especially swift, its speed was impressive given its massive frame.

But this was nothing to Shen Ce. Eyes bright with excitement, he lured five or six more Violet-Horned Rhinoceroses into the fray. The scene turned spectacular: the beasts charged en masse, while Shen Ce methodically unleashed a barrage of ranged area spells. Thanks to his ring’s bonus, his mana regeneration was noticeably faster, and with brief moments of meditation, he scarcely needed to consume mana potions at all.

Switching between meditation and casting required careful timing and positioning, however, and was mentally taxing. In a moment’s distraction, three Violet-Horned Rhinoceroses barreled straight at him. Shen Ce’s heart skipped a beat, and he hastily chanted, “Stun! Wrath of Light!”

A surge of snowy brilliance crashed into the three beasts. Two collapsed instantly, dissolving into blinding white light and dropping a heap of gear. The last one, though still charging, was disoriented by the stun spell; instead of Shen Ce, it crashed into a four-meter-tall tree, toppling it and sending a flock of startled birds skyward.

Shen Ce quickly retreated, narrowly escaping the falling tree. Even as he fled, he fired a light bolt to finish off the stunned rhinoceros. It too vanished in a wail of defeat. But when Shen Ce glanced at the crushed tree, he couldn’t help but shudder at the beast’s fearsome strength. After a brief reflection, he altered his strategy—no more provoking seven or eight at once; from now on, he would lure only three at a time for safety’s sake.

With this new approach, Shen Ce fought with greater ease and security. One light spell after another felled the Violet-Horned Rhinoceroses, leaving the ground littered with loot. Yet whether by misfortune or design, after an entire morning of grinding—though he had reached level 24—the “Simon’s Horns” he needed for his quest numbered only three of the required ten.

Feeling somewhat fatigued, Shen Ce decided to finish off the current group before resting. He drank a mana potion and unleashed his most powerful spells. At last, only one Violet-Horned Rhinoceros remained, stubbornly clinging to life. Shen Ce hurled a flashbang spell, ready to finish it swiftly—when something wholly unexpected occurred.

Boom!

The beast’s eyes suddenly blazed crimson. It released a piercing roar, its entire form radiating a faint purple glow. The light gathered at its horns, gradually shifting from dark blue to a deep, oppressive violet—the color of a thunderstorm’s lightning on a suffocating summer afternoon.

So that’s why it’s called the Violet-Horned Rhinoceros, Shen Ce realized, eyes fixed on the transformed creature. He tightened his grip on his wooden staff, heart pounding. Was his luck truly so singular, that even a common monster could go berserk and become a boss? A wry smile tugged at his lips, yet excitement stirred within him—this could be his first advanced boss kill in "Heaven’s Dominion"!

“King of the Violet-Horned Rhinoceroses, level 27, HP: ???” As expected, the limitations of Beginner’s Reconnaissance meant that for creatures three levels higher, he could learn only their names and levels.

After casting several supportive light spells on himself, Shen Ce struck first, sending a dazzling beam of white light into the King’s body. Before the transformation completed, he followed up with a stun spell and a lingering light burn. The King panted heavily, pawing the earth, eyes ablaze with red. But with its senses muddled, it couldn’t locate Shen Ce at all.

Strike while the iron is hot—this was the moment to kill.

Shen Ce’s hands twisted into a complex gesture. A flurry of incantations flashed by as he unleashed his strongest single-target skill: “Thunderlight Break!”

Bang!

The instant Shen Ce cast the spell, the King broke free of its stupor. A gaping, bleeding wound appeared on its belly—a ghastly sight. Even so grievously injured, the King’s speed remained astonishing. With a single kick, it left a black shadow behind, trampling all obstacles into dust.

Shen Ce remained calm, swallowing another mana potion and raising a light barrier to slow the King’s approach. He leapt onto a low branch of a nearby tree. The beast bellowed at the sky, furiously ramming the trunk.

As the tree crashed to the ground, Shen Ce sprang away, coughing blood from the violent impact. He retaliated with several combo spells, then probed the King with Beginner’s Reconnaissance—the health bar was finally visible, down to a third. The bleeding wound from Thunderlight Break sapped its vitality without mercy.

Even so, Shen Ce dared not grow complacent. Cautiously, he circled the beast, exchanging blows. Before long, his supply of health and mana potions was nearly depleted, but the results were evident. Under his relentless assault, the red glow faded from the King’s eyes. At last, it toppled, defeated and unwilling.

“Congratulations, player Zero, on defeating the boss, King of the Violet-Horned Rhinoceroses. Experience +10,000, reputation +100.” Shen Ce wiped sweat from his brow, a faint smile in his eyes. As expected, bosses yielded generous rewards—he was only 10% away from level 25!

As the system notification faded, the ground erupted with a dazzling array of loot—brilliant and mesmerizing, clearly high-quality gear. Yet Shen Ce did not rush to collect it. Instead, he drew a sharp knife and began dissecting the King’s corpse. After all, a boss’s remains were valuable, but if not harvested in time, they would vanish in a flash of white light.

“Ding. Congratulations, you have acquired King’s Meat.”
“Ding. Congratulations, you have acquired King’s Hide.”
“Ding. Congratulations, you have acquired the King’s Horn.”

As Shen Ce harvested with practiced skill, commotion arose nearby.

“Wow! Bro, check it out—the loot is all glowing! There must be some real treasures here!”

“Heavens, look at that Violet-Horned Rhinoceros with only one horn left. Its horn really is violet! It must be a boss—the loot must have dropped from it!”

Shen Ce’s brows knitted as he listened. Quickly, he severed the remaining horn and swept all the loot into his inventory. Just as he pocketed the final item, three men and a woman burst into view. Their attire marked them as a warrior, two mages, and a priest—all mounted on chestnut horses, just like Han Qishao’s group.

Shen Ce shot them a cold glance and prepared to leave—he seemed destined to clash with players riding chestnut horses.

“Heh, my friend, with so much good stuff, surely you’ll share the wealth?” The leading male warrior hopped off his horse and blocked Shen Ce’s path, grinning widely—a smile that Shen Ce found utterly repugnant.

Shen Ce ignored him and continued forward. The warrior’s hand slid halfway out of its sheath, and his companions gripped their staffs in silent threat. Clearly, such robberies were nothing new to them.

Tension crackled in the air, violence imminent.

“Ding—Player Blood Wolf, level 23, first-tier warrior,” Shen Ce silently cast Beginner’s Appraisal on the leader. The result darkened his mood; the others were likely around level 20 as well.

Fresh from a brutal boss fight, with few potions remaining, he might handle two alone, perhaps three if luck favored him and the priest fell first. But four at once? The odds looked grim...

Damn it, Shen Ce cursed himself for not buying a return scroll beforehand. Eyes narrowing imperceptibly, he considered his options. Now out of combat, he could log off immediately. But how long would these players linger here after he left? Unwilling to risk it, a tangible aura of killing intent began to emanate from him.

“Need some help?”

A lazy, low voice suddenly drifted by his ear, as alluring and dangerous as a siren’s call.

Everyone started in shock. When had someone appeared atop the nearby treetop? Shen Ce looked up—there stood a tall, slender figure, most of his face concealed behind a silver mask, only his eyes and cool lips visible.

Though those lips were unsmiling, Shen Ce could not shake the feeling that the stranger was grinning. Was it just his imagination?