Night descended quietly.
In the virtual world of the epoch, two bright moons hung in the velvet night sky, radiating a cold and mysterious glow. The moonlight pierced through the thin purple haze, scattering upon the muddy ground of the Highly Poisonous Swamp, reflecting eerie, scattered phosphorescence.
For the vast majority of novice players, night meant limited visibility and doubled danger, signaling a return to the village to rest. But for Lin Mo, this forbidden land of death, shrouded in moonlight, had just revealed its most captivating side.
"Then, the hunt begins!"
The cold voice faded into the silent swamp, and Lin Mo's figure, like a specter, actively merged into the deep night. His eyes had long adapted to the dim lighting; the two moons of this foreign world provided him with sufficiently clear vision.
"Croak!"
Not far away, a Highly Poisonous Toad dozing by a puddle was startled awake, its scarlet eyes glowing in the darkness, locking onto the human who dared to trespass into its territory.
Lin Mo wasted no words, his movements smooth and flowing. He calculated the distance precisely, his body sinking slightly, like a fully drawn bow, instantly bursting forth with astonishing speed.
Sprint, punch, retreat!
"Bang!" "-1" "-1" (Poison)
A single touch and he pulled away, refusing to linger in combat.
The Highly Poisonous Toad's lunge landed on empty air, splashing foul-smelling mud everywhere. It roared furiously, awkwardly turning its body, attempting once more to lock onto the enemy who was as agile as an ape.
However, Lin Mo's rhythm had already begun.
He was like a dancer walking on the edge of a blade; every advance and retreat was precise to the centimeter. His figure darted between several dead trees, continuously maneuvering around the Highly Poisonous Toad using the complex terrain.
And his fist always landed on the toad's blistered skin from the most incredible angles and at the most opportune moments.
['Endless Poison Source' Stack Count: 5 / 10] ['Endless Poison Source' Stack Count: 6 / 10]
...The poison stack count steadily climbed, and the damage numbers floating above the Highly Poisonous Toad's head also gradually increased from the initial negligible "-1" to "-5," "-6," and finally "-10."
Supported by the environment's "Miasma" damage of 2 points per second, this Level 3 monster was enduring 12 points of stable damage every second. Its Life was being frantically devoured by a silent yet inescapable force.
Five minutes later, accompanied by an unwilling wail, this Highly Poisonous Toad followed in the footsteps of its companions, crashing heavily to the ground.
[Congratulations! You have successfully killed the 'Highly Poisonous Toad' and gained 15 experience points.] [Your 'Poison Affinity' + 1]
There it is again!
Seeing the prompt appear again in the system log, Lin Mo's eyes grew brighter. This was the fifth Highly Poisonous Toad he had killed, and every time he succeeded, the system prompted him that his "Poison Affinity" had increased by 1 point.
Although he hadn't yet felt any specific effect from this hidden attribute, his keen intuition told him that this item was absolutely a crucial link in the growth system of the [Endless Poison Source] talent!
"Continue!"
Without the slightest slackening, Lin Mo immediately searched for his next target.
Time flew by during these precise yet monotonous hunts.
One hour, two hours... When a sliver of dawn appeared on the eastern horizon, Lin Mo could no longer recall how many Highly Poisonous Toads he had killed. His level, too, had quietly risen to Level 2 during this frenzied slaughter, as if riding a rocket.
After leveling up to Level 2, his base Life and attack power both received a slight boost. Although his physical attacks could still only deal the mandatory "-1" damage, the increased maximum HP undoubtedly raised his margin for error here.
What made him even happier was that his "Poison Affinity" had accumulated to an astonishing number—58 points!
Just as he was preparing to engage a new target, he suddenly noticed a barely perceptible buff icon added to his status bar.
[Poison Resonance (Basic): You have generated a weak resonance with the surrounding poison environment. Effect: In the 'Highly Poisonous Swamp' map, your poison damage is increased by 1%.]
1%!
Although this number was pitifully small, the significance it represented made Lin Mo's heart pound faster!
This proved his conjecture! The hidden attribute "Poison Affinity" could be accumulated through continuous use of poison, and upon reaching a certain threshold, it would undergo a qualitative change, bringing tangible buff effects!
This 1% was just the beginning. Would there be 5%, 10%, or even 100% in the future?
If this buff effect could grow, the potential ceiling of the [Endless Poison Source] talent would be unimaginably high!
Suppressing the excitement in his heart, Lin Mo's gaze became even more resolute. He did not choose to leave because of his level increase; instead, he walked deeper into the swamp.
He had a premonition that an even greater secret was hidden within this swamp.
The deeper he walked, the denser the purple miasma became, and the ground grew muddier and harder to traverse. The level of the surrounding monsters also gradually increased from Level 3 to Level 4.
The Level 4 [Highly Poisonous Toad] had higher HP and attack power, making it slightly more challenging for Lin Mo to handle. However, he still relied on his perfect control of the rhythm to systematically clear all obstacles on his path forward.
Another half hour passed. When he pushed aside a patch of dying bushes, the view suddenly opened up.
A dark green pool, roughly the size of a basketball court, appeared before him.
This pool was completely different from the other murky puddles in the swamp. The water displayed an emerald green color, yet it was utterly stagnant, devoid of any signs of Life. The mud around the pool had turned blackish-purple, emitting a stench ten times stronger than the surroundings.
Most bizarrely, in the exact center of the pool, fist-sized green bubbles were "gurgling" outward. When the bubbles burst, they transformed into visible wisps of green poisonous mist that merged into the air.
[Warning: You have entered the High Concentration Poison Zone 'Corrosion Poison Pool'. You are affected by 'Deadly Poison Miasma', losing 10 points of Life per second!]
The damage instantly multiplied fivefold!
Lin Mo's pupils contracted, and he immediately retreated several steps, exiting the pool's area of effect.
Just standing on the edge for a few seconds caused his health bar to drop by a small segment.
"What tyrannical environmental damage!"
Lin Mo felt lingering fear. With his current HP, he could only last a little over ten seconds inside.
But opportunity often coexists with danger!
His gaze was firmly locked onto the center of the poison pool. There, a gigantic toad, easily a full size larger than a regular Highly Poisonous Toad, lay sprawled on a black rock, seemingly enjoying the purification of the poisonous mist like a monarch.
Its skin was no longer emerald green, but a deep, dark green. The pustules on its back were larger and denser, even faintly pulsating as if something alive were inside. A pair of golden vertical pupils were filled with cold murderous intent.
[King Venomous Toad (Elite)] [Level: 5] [Life: 1200 / 1200] [Skills: Venom Spray, Highly Toxic Nova, Savage Charge]
A Level 5 Elite monster! 1200 HP, four times that of a regular toad! And it had two new skills!
Lin Mo's breathing became somewhat rapid at this moment. He knew he had found the next stage of this "Novice Village God-tier Quest Chain!"
This Elite monster was the target he absolutely had to conquer before leaving this swamp!
But how should he kill it?
A head-on clash was absolutely impossible. The opponent could instantly kill him with a single [Savage Charge]. And the skill [Highly Toxic Nova] sounded like an area-of-effect attack, which would severely restrict his movement space.
Not to mention the terrifying 10 points of environmental damage per second; he simply didn't have enough time to stack poison.
Lin Mo did not act impulsively. Like a statue, he quietly hid behind the bushes, his brain operating at an unprecedented speed, analyzing all factors advantageous and disadvantageous to him.
The environmental damage being too high was the greatest difficulty.
The unknown BOSS skills were the biggest variable.
His advantages were his extreme kiting ability and the nascent "Poison Resonance."
"I must find a way to turn the disadvantage of environmental damage into an advantage..." Lin Mo muttered to himself.
His gaze continuously swept around the poison pool, trying to find terrain he could utilize.
Suddenly, his sight fixed on the withered trees at the edge of the pool, several of which were half-submerged in the water. The trunks of these dead trees were covered in slippery green moss, making them look extremely slick.
A plan so bold it was almost insane gradually formed in his mind.
He took a deep breath, adjusted his condition, then picked up a head-sized rock and threw it with all his might toward the sleeping King Venomous Toad!
"Bang!"
The rock accurately hit the King Venomous Toad's head, and a "-1" damage number floated up. Although negligible, the insult was immense.
"Croak!!—" A deafening roar echoed throughout the entire swamp!
The King Venomous Toad was completely enraged. Its massive body leaped down from the rock, splashing venom everywhere. Its golden vertical pupils instantly locked onto Lin Mo, charging over like an out-of-control tank, filled with endless murderous intent!
Here it comes!
Lin Mo's heart pounded wildly, and he turned and ran!
He did not choose the open ground but headed straight for the dead trees by the water he had scouted earlier.
The King Venomous Toad was incredibly fast; its massive body was entirely disproportionate to its agility. The distance between the man and the toad rapidly closed.
Just as he was about to be caught, Lin Mo executed a nimble sidestep, circling behind one of the dead trees.
"Boom!" The King Venomous Toad's [Savage Charge] slammed solidly into the hard, dead tree trunk! The entire tree shook violently, and leaves rustled down.
[-85] A stun icon appeared above the King Venomous Toad's head.
An opportunity!
Lin Mo didn't hesitate. He turned and rushed into the range of the poison pool, enduring the loss of 10 Life points per second, and hammered the King Venomous Toad fiercely!
"-1," "-1," "-1"... ['Endless Poison Source' Stack Count: 1 / 10] ['Endless Poison Source' Stack Count: 2 / 10] ['Endless Poison Source' Stack Count: 3 / 10]
After three punches, he immediately retreated, exiting the range of the poison pool before his HP dropped to a dangerous level.
"Croak!" The King Venomous Toad recovered from the stun, becoming even more furious. It opened its massive mouth, and a stream of dark green venom, several times thicker than before, sprayed out like a high-pressure water gun!
Lin Mo had anticipated this, and he dodged again with a roll.
The venom shot into the swamp behind him, instantly Corroding a large patch of potholes.
From this moment on, the battle truly entered a white-hot phase.
Lin Mo focused his mind to the extreme. He was like a phantom strolling through a mountain of blades and a sea of fire, testing the boundaries of Life and death with every move.
He utilized the terrain, repeatedly luring the King Venomous Toad into hitting the trees, creating precious windows of damage for himself.
His health bar wildly fluctuated like a roller coaster. Several times, he barely managed to exit the poison pool's range when only single-digit HP remained.
Meanwhile, the King Venomous Toad's HP was slowly but steadily decreasing under his "masochistic" scraping damage method.
1000... 800... 500... When the King Venomous Toad's HP dropped below half, an unexpected change occurred!
"Croak!!" It let out a shrill roar toward the sky, its entire body suddenly swelling up, and the pustules on its back emitted a dangerous green glow.
[Highly Toxic Nova]!
Lin Mo's scalp tingled. Without thinking, he immediately sprinted into the distance.
The next second, centered on the King Venomous Toad, a visible ring of green shockwaves violently spread out!
Everything the shockwave passed over, whether mud or dead trees, was instantly Corroded away!
"Poof!" Although Lin Mo had run fast enough, he was still grazed by the edge of the shockwave.
[-50!] A terrifying number floated above his head, and his health bar instantly bottomed out, leaving him with less than 20 HP!
An instant-kill skill!
Lin Mo broke out in a cold sweat. If he had reacted half a second slower, he would be a corpse right now.
He dared not linger, continuing to put distance between them until the green glow on the King Venomous Toad completely dissipated before he dared to stop and catch his breath.
At this point, having released its ultimate move, the King Venomous Toad seemed to have entered a temporary period of weakness, and its movement speed slowed down.
Lin Mo knew this was his best chance!
He no longer hesitated, charging up again and repeating his previous kiting strategy.
Time passed minute by minute.
Ten minutes, twenty minutes... Half an hour later, Lin Mo could no longer remember how many times he had skirted the edge of Life and death.
His face was slightly pale due to the intense concentration, but his eyes shone terrifyingly bright.
And that arrogant King Venomous Toad had finally reached the end of its rope.
It now had over two hundred layers of poison stacked on its body!
Every second, a terrifying poison damage number of [-210] floated up from above its head!
"Croak..." Accompanied by one last desperate cry, this Level 5 Elite BOSS, the hidden overlord of the Novice Village, finally collapsed weakly, transforming into a brilliant flash of white light.
[Congratulations! You have killed the Elite Monster 'King Venomous Toad' above your level, gaining a large amount of experience!] [Your Level has increased to 3!] [Your 'Poison Affinity' + 10] [You have discovered the key to the hidden quest 'Secret of the Poison Pool'. Please search for clues to uncover the truth of this place.]
A series of system notifications sounded in Lin Mo's ears like heavenly music.
He let out a long breath of stale air, feeling utterly exhausted, almost collapsing onto the ground.
This battle was the most thrilling and dangerous fight he had experienced in both of his lives!
But he won!
He looked at the few items suspended quietly within the white light, radiating an enticing glow, and finally, a victorious smile appeared on his lips.