C3 The Reward of the Side Mission(1)

The incident unfolded in a flash. It looked as though Chen Ye, concerned for Wang Jianguo, dashed forward to intercept the silver-ringed snake's lethal strike.

"You beast, how dare you!" Lee Yunfei bellowed, brandishing another dagger that seemed to appear out of thin air, and swiftly struck the snake at its vulnerable spot.

Wounded at its critical point, the silver-ringed snake issued a pitiful hiss before collapsing, momentarily incapacitated. Seizing the moment, Chen Ye used the butt of his gun to repeatedly bash the snake's head until it was unrecognizable, finally ceasing his assault to catch his breath. There was no time to check the status of the side mission; he quickly reviewed his attributes and noted his health points had plummeted to 14 and were still declining. Realizing the snake venom was taking its toll, he wasted no time pulling off his shoelace and tightly binding it above the bite on his left arm.

Wang Jianguo hurried over, exclaiming, "You fool, did you run out here with a death wish? Even if it bit me, I'd outlive you!" Despite his harsh words, his actions were frantic and caring as he used his dagger to remove the fangs from the wound, then made a cross incision to extract the dark, venomous blood.

Yunfei, meanwhile, disassembled a bullet and sprinkled the powder on the wound. Striking a flint, the gunpowder flared up, searing the flesh and sending Chen Ye to the brink of unconsciousness as his vision darkened and his health points dwindled to a mere eight. But, the pain signaled that the poisoning was subsiding.

Through this ordeal of emergency field treatment, Chen Ye picked up some lifesaving techniques and mastered the "Basic First Aid" skill (G).

Basic First Aid (G): You can utilize rudimentary medical supplies and tools to provide first aid. The effectiveness of white-quality medicine is increased by 10%, with a proficiency level starting at 0/100.

Chen Ye's actions had a positive impact on his companions, boosting their favorability towards him to varying degrees.

For completing the side mission "Danger in the Mountains," he was rewarded with one cubic meter of the Celestial Vault and unlocked the "Achievement Mission."

Achievement Mission "Hunter": Hunt down ferocious wild beasts, 1/10 completed. Reward: Basic Skill Advancement Potion 1.

Side Mission 2: "Yunfei's Esteem." Your commanding officer believes you possess great courage, yet finds your abilities and intellect lacking. He intends to put you through a series of tests, and should you succeed, he will offer you special mentorship.

A barrage of prompts initially bewildered Chen Ye, but upon careful consideration, he formulated a plan. He was thankful for having grasped the essentials of physical fitness during the recent military cross-country event. Without that, he might have perished from just a couple of moves. He was uncertain of the consequences of his health points dropping to zero in the Celestial Tome world, but he was certainly not eager to find out. Moreover, mastering the basic footwork was crucial. Had he not advanced to F class, he wouldn't have been able to secure the coveted center position in the nick of time, thus going unnoticed and missing out on a surge of favorability points. Without sufficient favorability, Yunfei's side mission might have remained locked.

Chen Ye glanced at his eleven fellow soldiers, his brow furrowing. If Yunfei was linked to a side mission, could it be that each of his comrades also carried their own side missions?

Below Chen Ye's character attributes, a Celestial Vault attribute appeared. With a slight focus, he detected an ethereal space within himself, roughly one cubic meter in size, seemingly perfect for storing items.

In the midst of the chaos, Chen Ye had little time to ponder as Wang Jianguo presented him with a snake gallbladder, urging, "Chen Ye! Open wide. This is a treasure that can neutralize the remaining poison in your system."

Chen Ye took the snake gallbladder and cast a "scout" spell on it, his eyes brightening—not from the allure of the information, but because the gallbladder was identified as a green-quality item.

Silver-Ringed Snake Gallbladder: Harvested from the concentrated lifeblood of a Silver-Ringed Snake over twenty years old, this gallbladder holds immense medicinal value. It can alleviate snake venom and enhance one's constitution to a certain degree.

Without further contemplation, Chen Ye opened his mouth and swallowed the gallbladder whole. He instantly felt a fiery sensation spreading from his stomach throughout his entire body.

After consuming the gallbladder of a Silver-Ringed Snake, you've gained +1 to your physique and vision. Having fought back from the brink of death, your proficiency in "Basic Physical Fitness" has significantly increased. Breaking past a certain threshold, you've managed to advance to the next level.

Basic Physical Fitness (F): You're a robust young man. Proficiency: 43/200.

The sudden boost of 20 health points has given Chen Ye a healthy glow. His current health points stand at 26/70, and his stamina is at 70/200, nearly matching Wang Jianguo's levels.

"Since you're all right, let's move on! I need two people to carry the stretcher," Lee Yunfei instructed.

Chen Ye hesitated for a moment but then declined, "No need for that, Lee. I can move on my own! It's just that... I need to relieve myself."

"Scram, you lazy slob! Just go!" Wang Jianguo cursed, giving Chen Ye a nudge with his foot and then offering Lee Yunfei a smile. Yunfei simply nodded in response, saying nothing more.

Chen Ye was aware that Wang Jianguo must hold him in high regard, especially after his recent act of blocking the snake. Although he might not have needed the help, it certainly didn't hurt to increase his standing. Chen Ye had sensed that the squad leader had been looking out for him, and if it weren't for his recent skill level-up, his favorability would surely have soared.

Rushing into the thicket where the Silver-Ringed Snake had been hiding, Chen Ye wasn't actually seeking privacy; he was rummaging through the dark underbrush with his hands.

The Silver-Ringed Snake, while docile and somewhat fierce, wasn't prone to attacking people. Now, in June, it was likely in its egg-laying season. Lee Yunfei and Wang Jianguo, though courageous, lacked a background in biology and were unaware of such details.

Before long, Chen Ye discovered several round, slick snake eggs. He retrieved them and examined them closely.

Silver-Ringed Snake Eggs: Quantity 3. Without a proper method of use, they serve merely as food for you. Consuming them will increase your stamina by 100 points for five minutes.

Chen Ye slipped the Silver Ring Snake Eggs into the Celestial Vault and feigned adjusting his belt before rejoining the group. The team regrouped and pressed on. Despite Chen Ye's health and stamina not being particularly high, his two F-class basic skills provided a solid foundation, enabling him to keep pace with his teammates.