Online Game: Me, with Unparalleled Comprehension

Pushing open the slightly ajar, creaking wooden door, the room was dimly lit and filled with a musty and dusty smell.

On a pile of firewood in the corner, a young man dressed in a moon-white scholar's robe with his hair in a messy bun was bound hand and foot with hemp rope and had a rag stuffed in his mouth. When he saw someone come in, he opened his eyes wide and made a "mmm" sound.

It was Duan Yu.

Wu Feng walked over, pulled out an ordinary dagger from his waist, cut the ropes binding Duan Yu, and tore the rag from his mouth.

"Cough cough... Who, who are you?" Duan Yu coughed as he looked at Wu Feng with suspicion, his gaze sweeping over Wu Feng's dark blue armor, which was clean and neat despite being slightly dusty, and his face, which was mostly obscured by the shadow of his bamboo hat, making it impossible to see his features clearly.

"The person who saved you," Wu Feng said calmly, sheathing his dagger. "Let's go."

Upon hearing this, Duan Yu's face lit up with the joy of surviving a calamity. He quickly struggled to his feet, stretched his stiff limbs, and then bowed deeply to Wu Feng: "Thank you so much for saving my life, benefactor! Duan Yu will never forget your kindness!"

Wu Feng waved his hand, turned around, and walked out of the wooden house. Duan Yu quickly followed.

Standing in the open space in front of the house, Wu Feng raised his hand and pointed to the outline of Dali City, which was faintly visible to the northeast: "Follow this direction, walk out of this forest, onto the official road, and keep going east, and you will see Dali City."

Duan Yu looked in the direction he pointed and saw a deep forest, a rugged mountain path, and a hazy mist in the distance, which made him look troubled.

He was a scholar who couldn't even kill a chicken. Having just escaped the jaws of a tiger, he was still shaken and felt terrified as he walked alone in this desolate wilderness.

"This... I'm in the middle of nowhere, my benefactor, could you please escort me back? I, Duan Yu, will never forget your great kindness, and I will repay you handsomely once we return to the city!" Duan Yu said earnestly, his eyes full of expectation.

Almost as soon as he finished speaking, a system notification popped up in front of Wu Feng's eyes:

[Duan Yu has issued you a mission: Escort him back to the city.]

[Mission Objective: Escort Duan Yu safely to the Prince of Nan's Mansion in Dali Town.]

[Task Rewards: 20000 experience points, +200 reputation with the Prince of Zhennan's Mansion, significantly increased favorability with Duan Yu, and unknown rewards.]

Wu Feng's heart stirred.

Is it an escort mission, or a mission to directly increase Duan Yu's favorability?

As the heir of the Prince of Zhennan in Dali, Duan Yu is likely to inherit the throne in the future, so his popularity and value are self-evident.

"If I can get in touch with the Duan royal family through this, I might have a chance to learn about martial arts like the One-Finger Divine Skill and the Six Meridians Divine Sword. At the very least, I can get my hands on a lot of high-level martial arts manuals or resources." Wu Feng's mind raced. He accepted the mission!

He nodded: "Okay."

You have accepted the mission "Escort Back to Town".

Duan Yu was overjoyed: "Thank you so much, my benefactor!"

"Let's go." Wu Feng said no more, stepped forward, grabbed Duan Yu's belt, and lifted him up.

"Oh? My benefactor, this is..." Duan Yu exclaimed in surprise.

"So fast." Wu Feng explained briefly, simultaneously activating the Lingbo Weibu and Tiyun Zong techniques within his body. With a burst of power, he lifted Duan Yu and sped towards Dali City!

He didn't want to stay here.

Although Yun Zhonghe is dead, Ye Erniang said she went to support Duan Yanqing. If they finish dealing with things there and rush back, it will be a big problem.

He's not confident he can handle Duan Yanqing yet, not to mention he's at a disadvantage against three opponents, plus he has a burden to deal with, making the fight even more troublesome.

Of course, the faster the better.

Duan Yu felt the wind whistling past his ears, the trees on both sides rushing past him, and he felt as if he were riding on clouds. Although being carried was somewhat uncomfortable, the speed was indeed many times faster than walking. He felt a little relieved and admired his savior's martial arts skills even more.

Wu Feng traveled at full speed, moving at an extremely fast pace.

After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the two were close to the edge of Wanjie Valley, and the official road could be vaguely seen ahead.

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps and shouts suddenly came from the woods ahead.

"Young master! Is that you, young master?"

"Who goes there? Put down my young master!"

Dozens of men dressed in tight-fitting clothes and carrying weapons emerged from the forest. The two leading men were none other than Duan Yu's retainers, Chu Wanli and Gu Ducheng.

Upon seeing Wu Feng carrying Duan Yu, they immediately became alarmed, drawing their swords and subtly surrounding Wu Feng with wary eyes.

"Uncle Chu! Uncle Gu!" Duan Yu shouted upon seeing the newcomers, "They're on my side! This benefactor saved me!"

Upon hearing this, Chu Wanli and Gu Ducheng's expressions softened slightly, but they remained vigilant.

Chu Wanli stepped forward, cupped his hands in greeting to Wu Feng, and said, "Young hero, thank you for saving my young master. May I ask if you would be so kind as to hand him over to us? We are here on the orders of the Prince to bring my young master back to his residence."

Another prompt appeared in front of Wu Feng:

[The direct bodyguard of mission target "Duan Yu" has been detected. You may choose:]

[1. Hand Duan Yu over to Chu Wanli and Gu Ducheng. The "Escort Back to the City" quest is completed ahead of schedule, granting basic rewards (experience, reputation), +30 favorability with Chu Wanli and Gu Ducheng, and +15 favorability with Duan Yu.]

[2. Refuse to hand over and insist on personally escorting him. Chu Wanli and Gu Ducheng's favorability -20, may trigger conflict; if you successfully escort Duan Yu back to the manor after the conflict, Duan Yu's favorability +30, but the reputation of the Zhennan Prince's Mansion may be affected.]

[Note: Duan Yu is currently out of danger; entrusting him to guards will ensure his safety.]

Wu Feng glanced at the options and quickly weighed them in his mind.

Insisting on personally escorting him might earn him more favor with Duan Yu, but it would inevitably offend Chu and Gu, and could even lead to conflict with the guards, adding unpredictable changes.

By handing Duan Yu over to them, the mission would be completed ahead of schedule. Although the reward would be slightly reduced, it would also earn the favor of all three of them, save time and effort, and avoid the risk of encountering Duan Yanqing and his men who might come after them.

There will be other opportunities to build goodwill later, so for now, stability is the priority.

He loosened his grip, put Duan Yu down, and said calmly to Chu Wanli and the other man, "Since he is a guard of the Prince's mansion, I'll hand him over to you."

Seeing Wu Feng's straightforwardness, Chu Wanli and Gu Ducheng's wariness lessened considerably, and they showed gratitude on their faces.

Chu Wanli cupped his hands again, this time with much more sincerity: "Thank you for your understanding, young hero! May I ask your esteemed name? The Zhennan Prince's Mansion will never forget this kindness."

"Wu Changfeng." Wu Feng squinted and gave his game name. After all, he would still have to interact with Duan Yu and the others in the future, so it was better to give his real name.

"So it's Young Master Changfeng!" Gu Ducheng also took out a heavy brocade money pouch from his robes, stepped forward, and handed it to Wu Feng with both hands. "Young Master, you saved the young master from danger. Such a great favor is beyond repayment. This small amount of silver is just a token of our appreciation. We hope you won't refuse it. If you have the opportunity to come to Dali City, please be sure to visit the Prince of Zhennan's Mansion. The Prince and the young master will certainly treat you with great hospitality!"

Wu Feng took the money pouch; it felt quite heavy. He nodded: "Hmm."

Duan Yu stepped forward and bowed solemnly to Wu Feng: "Brother Changfeng, I will remember your life-saving grace. If you ever come to Dali, please come and find me so that I can show you the hospitality of a good host."

"Okay," Wu Feng replied.

[The mission "Escort Back to the City" has been completed ahead of schedule! Gain 20000 experience points, +200 reputation with the Zhennan Prince's Mansion, +30 favorability with Chu Wanli, +30 favorability with Gu Ducheng, and +15 favorability with Duan Yu.]

You have received "Chu Wanli's Gift" (money pouch).

A notification flashes, indicating the mission is complete.