Experience Points?

This world had already entered an industrial era, making firearms a common sight, though handguns were mostly revolvers. The simple design of a revolver gave it a low failure rate with little worry about jamming, even if its gas seal left something to be desired. Yet handguns had never been solely about kinetic energy; their true purpose was to effectively deal with close-range enemies. Two shots rang out. Two bursts of fire swelled rapidly, sweeping toward the dark shadow nearby. A revolver firing scattershot was rather absurd, but what this man had unleashed were specialized "ghost-vanquishing bullets"! Though everyone present had looked down on Wu Youren's cautious behavior earlier, now that danger had arrived, who didn't want to be prepared? "Sss—haa—" After a faint, agonizing wail, the dark shadow vanished into thin air. "What's the big deal?" The driver holstered his revolver and gave a dismissive snort. "This is Tianjing!" "Are you out of your damn mind?!" the leader barked in fury. "A blade could've handled that, and you used a gun?!" If he had used ordinary ammunition, it would have been one thing, but those were ghost-vanquishing bullets! "I'm no knight. A blade might not have finished the job," the driver replied nonchalantly. "If a bullet can solve the problem, why not use it? Well... at worst, I'll pay for it myself!" The guards assigned to watch the hostages truly had their own connections and backing, bold enough to act as they pleased even before their superior. "Mutated qi ghosts have appeared in the capital region!" The leader was genuinely alarmed. "Firing your damn gun could draw in an entire swarm!" "Looks like they're already here," another guard sighed softly. "Prepare for combat." Amidst the pervasive drizzle and mist, countless dark shadows flickered in and out of sight. Cold gusts of wind blew in, making it impossible to tell whether they were eerie yin winds or merely the damp chill carried by the rain. As for the number of dark shadows, no one could tell. "Friends from Jin, time to slay the enemy together," the leader stated calmly. "Relying blindly on firearms will only attract more Guizu." A martial artist's qi and blood combined with combat techniques proved highly effective at killing ghosts; in battles against the Guizu, this was the most common form of combat. Firearms were used merely for convenience. Their power was mediocre, and their cost was astronomically high. The main issue was that production lines for ghost-vanquishing bullets required ability masters to oversee them, making mass production impossible for the time being. "We don't even have specialized weapons," Feng Qianjun said coolly, drawing a gold-inlaid jade knife. "We can't charge into battle." Facing the Guizu, mankind had no choice but to band together. However, slaying ghosts was nothing like killing humans; many methods effective against mortals were useless against the Guizu. When the hostages came to Great Liang eight years ago, their role was clear. At most, they were allowed a few self-defense weapons. Who would deliberately bring dedicated weapons for slaying ghosts? Even their self-defense weapons were subject to strict grade limitations. Someone like Wu Youren was not even permitted a stone knife, only a wooden sword. Asking the hostages to step up and fight hand-to-hand at a time like this was simply... impossible with their equipment! The guard leader naturally understood this and could only nod. "Guard your surroundings, then. If something happens to us, you won't fare any better." There was no room for polite pleasantries on a battlefield. The more direct the words, the better, lest misunderstandings arise. The next moment, gunfire erupted as over a dozen guards began firing in rotation. Though they spoke of engaging the Guizu in melee, eliminating them with bullets remained the safer option if conditions allowed. The critical issue was that night had only just fallen; who knew what would happen next. "They should've given us a couple of specialized weapons," He Wenhao muttered under his breath, holding a small silver dagger with a reverse grip. The dagger was a self-defense weapon he had brought from home. Forged with a trace of mithril and other rare materials, it was remarkably sturdy. More importantly, it possessed a degree of efficacy against the Guizu. As the son of an honorable baron, this dagger was his most valuable possession. "Doesn't matter," Wu Youren remarked without much sentiment. "If they really gave you one, wouldn't you have to charge to the front? Able to advance to attack, or retreat to... well, isn't this fine?" "Kid." The driver, having emptied his revolver during the volley of fire, glared fiercely sideways as he reloaded. "What was that clatter with the iron sheet earlier?" The youth had set up tripwires earlier, placing an iron sheet near the convertible as an alarm so everyone nearby could react in time. Back then, the three guards in that car had all sensed a faint, indistinct shadow to some degree. However, none of the three had been entirely certain, so none had bothered to warn him—after all, he was merely an enemy hostage. If he died, he died! Truth be told, his ordeal could have helped the rest gauge what kind of threat they faced. Who could have guessed that the kid was so sharp? Not only had he detected the danger in time, but he had also slipped away without a sound. To a large extent, the rattle of the iron sheet had distracted the dark shadow! The driver could not help wondering if the kid had done it intentionally. "The iron sheet... rattled?" Wu Youren looked bewildered. "I didn't notice that. I just felt a chill behind me!" "Heh, you'd better hope it wasn't you!" The driver let out an ambiguous chuckle, snapped the cylinder shut, and opened fire once more. Did it really matter whether it was him or not? All the driver needed to know was that this kid... required watching! At the same time, however, He Wenhao noticed something amiss. He could feel Wu Youren trembling slightly. What on earth was this fellow thinking about to actually be... afraid? In his mind, a lord's grandson carried many labels, but cowardice should not be one of them. Conceding during the challenge matches was not cowardice; it was simply yielding to an overwhelming trend. In the eyes of commoners, "overwhelming trend" was an ethereal concept, but the hostages felt its weight all too deeply. In any case, He Wenhao never considered this guy a coward. Even the traps he had set earlier could only be described as cautious—hadn't one of the guards even suspected that they were being schemed against? Seeing his reaction now seemed rather strange! In truth, not only He Wenhao, but Wu Youren himself found it utterly bizarre. What... was happening? The biguijue at his waist had actually begun to grow faintly warm. He was certain it was no illusion. Furthermore, his body felt restless. His breathing and inner qi were stirring, and his physical frame felt lighter. Deep in his bloodline and qi, there was even a sensation of eager anticipation—a faint impulse urging him to charge forward and engage in close combat. What in the world was going on? Wu Youren was genuinely baffled. Did this body truly crave battle that much? Or did the biguijue gifted by his nominal grandfather hold some unspeakable secret? He deemed the latter possibility virtually nonexistent. That lord had nine legitimate children—five sons and four daughters. If not for the Hostage Conscription Order, the original host of this body would never have had any contact with that man until the day he died. The next instant, Wu Youren suddenly remembered that after the old gardener died back at Hostage Manor, he had experienced a similar sensation. It was just that the feeling was far more pronounced this time. Could it be... a system activation? He was not entirely sure. He then attempted to circulate his internal qi slightly, and his heart leaped with quiet joy. What he cultivated was the Wild Gale Cultivation Method provided by the Jin military, an internal breathing art capable of reaching the level of a Divine Might Knight. This method far surpassed the common techniques practiced by ordinary soldiers and was nowhere to be found on the open market. This was one of the perks of being a hostage; otherwise, given his status, he would have had access only to the generic techniques widely practiced throughout the army. As he circulated his internal qi, he discovered it flowed just a fraction smoother than before. He had felt something similar after the old gardener's death, though it had been faint and uncertain. Back then, he had guessed that because the poisoned wine incident had been fully put to rest, the haze over his heart had cleared, allowing for a slight breakthrough. This time, the improvement in his qi flow was even greater, and the sensation was much clearer. Was it caused by heightened emotions when confronting the Guizu? He found that unlikely. Yet what common ground could the death of an old gardener and the death of a Guizu share that would advance his cultivation? Slaying monsters... to gain experience points? Just then, the guard leader let out a sharp snort. "Apprentice knights, fall into defensive positions! Knights, follow me on the offensive... sweeping formation!" Each of the three vehicles had one knight, and together with the leader, all four drew their long sabers and advanced in unison. As the blades swung, formidable waves of qi slashed forward—this was true battle qi, a power only a genuine knight could unleash! Confronted by these fierce arcs of blade light, the shadowy silhouettes stood no chance of mounting an effective defense. Like rotting wood crushed by a storm, the sweeping arcs of blade light tore every dark shadow to shreds. Faint, piercing shrieks echoed through the air. One guard could not help but shout in approval, "Splendid! Truly worthy of Great Liang's knights!" The four knights advanced steadily, the two on the flanks slightly ahead while the center pair trailed just behind. Measured and unhurried, they struck down enemies while protecting their own ranks. Such coordination was not something any random group of knights could pull off; rigorous daily drills and keen combat awareness were indispensable. If one became greedy for glory and fought only for personal thrill, it would easily bring harm to themselves and their comrades. The hostages had few sentiments to offer. Great Liang's military discipline was far from exemplary, yet they were certainly not devoid of tactical awareness. They exchanged glances, keeping their attention primarily on the ground: were there any item drops? This phenomenon resembled slaying monsters for loot, except that these items were originally carried by the Guizu themselves. The hostages did not lack knowledge on the subject, but having been confined to Hostage Manor since childhood, they had never seen it firsthand. Wu Youren was no exception. Who wouldn't yearn to become an ability master? Yet a moment later, his brow furrowed. "Huh?" He Wenhao heard the quiet grunt and glanced at him sideways. "What is it?" "Nothing," Wu Youren replied casually, though inwardly he was bewildered: Where are my experience points? Four knights had stepped forward and slain so many qi ghosts, yet he had felt no unusual sensation whatsoever. He had secretly braced himself for a lavish feast, yet... there was absolutely nothing! This time, he had focused his senses entirely; there was no possibility of a misjudgment. The four knights pushed forward at a measured pace until they reached the entrance and stepped out into the rain. Advancing and retreating with disciplined coordination, their sweeping blade qi had remarkably left the factory workshop largely undamaged. "Commanding power with total precision," Feng Qianjun noted with a slight nod. "Impressive!" When standing beneath another's roof, who dared refuse to bow? Flattering the enemy a little was nothing to be ashamed of.