LIGHTNOVELONLINE 012. The Power of Pay-to-Win!
- The Power of Pay-to-Win!
【Do you want to join the Abyssal Humanitarian Rescue Organization?】
【You have joined the Abyssal Humanitarian Rescue Organization, faction template unlocked.】
【Based on your charm judgment, you will receive basic public information within the organization.】
【Faction favorability unlocked】
【Faction Leader: Professor - Personal Favorability Unlocked】
【Professor Favorability】: Normal (70/1000)
【*Note: Due to the professor's special expertise, the higher the professor's personal favorability, the higher the faction favorability, and vice versa, but it will not stack cyclically.】
【Favorability ranges from low to high: Arch-enemy – Hatred – Hostility – Opposition – Disgust – Indifference – Normal – Liking – Respect – Worship – Belief】
【Other members' personal favorability unlocked】
【Assistant Anna】: Indifference (25/1000)
【Nordri】: Hostility (-65/1000)
………
【Test Subject ZX-101】: Indifference (49/1000)
【Test Subject ZX-626】: Liking (200/1000)
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Li Aozi was taken to an isolation ward. His restraint suit was not removed, the reason being he needed to be observed for a while to prevent him from hurting others again.
After all, knocking down an Alpha-level formal warrior with one blow, nearly sending him to the ICU, regardless of the Aoneng reaction, the danger level was no longer that of an ordinary patient. Heavy measures were necessary.
Li Aozi was happy to relax. He had unlocked the faction template, but the task had not officially started, so he was in no hurry and took his time to clear his thoughts.
"Since the beginning, I haven't had time to focus on the system. The three mission rewards of 【Descent】 are unlocking the system, player functions, and personal panel. I previously only checked the personal panel and system functions, but haven't yet looked at the player functions."
Li Aozi first opened the 【Faction】 under player functions. Inside, there was only one faction's information:
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【Faction Name】: Abyssal Humanitarian Rescue Organization
【Alignment】: Chaotic Neutral
【Rating】: H
【Description】:
"I want to tell you that some people take survival as their all, and some pursue benefits as their lifelong goal."
"But even if I exhaust my life, I want to prove: In this wasteland, humanity still exists."
"That is the Abyssal Humanitarian."
The Abyssal Humanitarian Rescue Organization is a small organization with good organizational structure and combat quality above the baseline of the outside world, gathering a large medical experiment team and external agencies, but generally not participating in resource disputes in the outside world.
Under the leadership of the professor, the Abyssal Humanitarian is continuously expanding its power.
However, beneath the bright surface of the Abyssal, there seems to be hidden darkness unknown to others. Various cruel experiments conducted by the Abyssal have been rumored in the outside world, with some even firmly believing that the Abyssal is the source of this Esha disaster.
【Leader】: Professor
【Position】: Test Subject
【Faction Favorability】: Normal
【Contribution Points】: 0
【Daily Tasks】:
- 《Clinical Experiment》
"Although I do not think your existence is of great significance to us, the results may be different."
— Cooperate with Assistant Anna in various experiments
Task Reward: 120 Contribution Points/Time
- 《Physical Training》
"Without a strong body, you can't withstand the subsequent experimental plans."
— Complete the physical training plan formulated by Nordri Crow.
Task Reward: 10 Contribution Points/Time.
- 《Psychological Counseling》
"Are you the new level five infected? I heard that Esha severely interferes with the psychological state of level five infected. Don't worry, I will help you avoid being harmed by it."
— Cooperate with Dr. Ernie for daily mental evaluations
Task Reward: 20 Contribution Points/Time
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"This template..."
Li Aozi raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised.
"This is not the initial version of the faction panel but the improved version from the 11.7 patch."
The time period he was in was even before the closed beta of 《Abyss of Stars》, only existing in the internal alpha testing by the officials. If it weren't for insiders leaking it later, the public wouldn't even know that the main storyline started from the year 221.
The faction system was only added to the players from version 1.0, refined over 11 versions and hundreds of patches, before it was perfected.
Li Aozi was from version 14.0 【Void Orbit】, where the template had been pretty much fixed without extra modifications.
"Hmm... a bit unexpected."
Maybe it's a benefit for being a transmigrator? Apart from enjoying the NPC bonus, he also carried the 14.0 version patch.
The improved patch differed significantly from the incomplete version, mainly adding several extremely useful systems.
【Faction Members】 — You can check the information of all internal faction members at any time.
【Faction Infrastructure】 — You can modify some of the faction's facilities by paying resources.
【Faction Shop】 — You can exchange various resources within the faction by spending contribution points.
Li Aozi opened the faction members. The Abyssal organization had a decent number of members, totaling 127. Due to the insufficient faction favorability, Li Aozi could only view the level, name, identity, and position of each person. Additional information would require higher favorability to access.
However, one person was an exception.
"Pink hair, blue eyes, not tall... hmm, is it the second row, fifth one... tch, too many women, I'm face-blind."
Based on memory hints, Li Aozi searched for a while and tentatively clicked on an avatar. Seeing the enlarged, clear profile, he showed a playful expression:
"Yes, it's you."
【Name】: 'Firefly' Ze Xi
【Level】: Normal — lv8 Merchant
【Position】: Logistics
"According to the previous life's strategy, she can sell an Omega-grade Aoneng awakening agent. This is key to becoming a 【Mutant】."
Originally, Li Aozi planned to slowly complete tasks, accumulate favorability, and become a formal rescuer of Abyssal Humanitarian. This way, he could openly contact Ze Xi and purchase this agent from her.
But now, Li Aozi found that his faction template was the complete version, allowing him to directly open the 【Faction Shop】. He checked and, sure enough, the agent held by a black market merchant like Ze Xi was openly available for exchange here.
【Esha Test Agent - Type VI】
This is it. Although the name is different, it is actually the same as what Ze Xi holds.
"In this way, I need to adjust my plan."
Li Aozi began to think.
The 【Dominion】 series has only one branch in the early stage, which is 【Mutant】, and it is the most painful phase for many 【Dominion】 players.
The reason is simple. In the early stage, the initial profession level cap is 60. However, every 20 levels, the profession will offer branch choices.
For example, at lv.20, 【Warrior】 faces two branch choices: one is the 【Crane Faction】, which focuses on enhancing physical strength and destructive power of punches and kicks; the other is the 【Dragon Faction】, which enhances qi cultivation and begins to control psychic power.
Choosing one of them, your path will continue to specialize in different combat styles, eventually forming a unique style.
If it's a 【Mage】, it becomes even more special. Every 20 levels, depending on race, knowledge mastery, and combat style, there are at least 7 branch choices each time.
The fact is, mages are always powerful in any game.
In comparison, 【Mutant】 has no branch or choices due to its own reasons.
Instead, it experiences 'mutations' from time to time, very unstably mastering different abilities through gene mutations. Each mutation is unstable and may bring new skills, or if lucky, improve the original Aoneng rating, but the most outrageous is that sometimes it even regresses.
This is largely because a 【Mutant】's entire skill set depends on Aoneng.
If a player awakens extremely powerful Aoneng, the 【Mutant】 experience would not be as painful. Instead, it would be like opening mystery boxes full of fun.
As an expert of the 【Starfall Master】 path, Li Aozi naturally still chooses the 【Starfall Master】 path. Besides needing to collect specialized 【Charm】 expertise, he also needs to pay special attention to one aspect:
To advance to 【Starfall Master】 later, Li Aozi needs to master four types of Aoneng, and these four types must all be top-tier 'Omega' level Aoneng.
"Although I was prepared to endure the pain, if players appear in the future, I can't let them see me suffering like this..."
It wouldn't be too difficult to obtain these four types of Aoneng in the mid-game, especially since Li Aozi is familiar with the cosmic map, but it would be very challenging in the early stage.
If he didn't pursue the final profession 【Starfall Master】 and chose to become a 【Psion】, 【Missionary】, 【Secret Keeper】, or 【Echoer】, his experience... would be smooth. The latter only requires one to two types of Aoneng to play well, and with three types, he could easily be in the top tier rankings.
But only Li Aozi knows that the above four mainstream 【Dominion】 professions are far inferior to the strength of a fully advanced 【Starfall Master】 in the future!
The key reason is that these four types of Aoneng are all top-tier Omega level.
To be blunt, even one of these four Aoneng alone could immediately change the situation on Azure Star.
"Now, I can get one from Ze Xi, another from the faction shop, and the third from exchanging with the professor personally—this way, I can gather three Aoneng awakening agents directly."
No, not just that.
Li Aozi suddenly realized that since he had the future version patch, according to the situation in the later versions, the 【Player Shop】 he hadn't checked before should also have the patch.
In other words...
Li Aozi hurriedly opened the 【Player Shop】, skimmed through the dazzling array of items, and skillfully searched the keywords: Dominion, Aoneng, consumables, paid items.
Immediately, he saw a syringe containing a mysterious and noble golden agent.
"There really is one!"