Online game: Basic attacks increase strength; the greater the power, the more powerful it is!

Jun Heng closed the auction house interface, a satisfied smile curving his lips.

The Dragon Blood Set had only been available for a dozen minutes when the bidding had already reached 136 gold coins.

At the current exchange rate, that's 1.36 million.

Moreover, with more than four hours left before the auction ends, the final price will definitely be higher.

"Once these items are sold, combined with the previous income and the gold coins dropped by the BOSS, we should have four or five million."

Junheng pondered in his heart, considering the housing prices in Jianghai City.

This money is enough for him to buy a villa in a good location.

Who would have thought that before going online, his plan was to rent a place first.

Unexpectedly, he was able to buy it within just a few hours.

In high spirits, Junheng prepared to return to the starting village to find the village chief before heading to the level 2 town.

On the way, he checked the hidden quests he had accepted.

"Loster...is hiding in Dawn City...disguised as a blacksmith's apprentice..."

Recalling his conversation with Aldrich, Junheng suddenly felt a surge of energy.

He remembered what Master Hogan had told him.

Once you arrive in Dawn City, go to the blacksmith Hawke at the blacksmith's workshop and show him the damaged Demon Ring.

And Lost, coincidentally, was also disguised as a blacksmith's apprentice!

This is definitely not a coincidence.

"Interesting. It seems that this Lost is very likely in Hawke's blacksmith workshop."

"It could even be Hawke!"

Jun Heng didn't rush to the level 2 town, but instead turned and headed towards the blacksmith shop in the beginner village.

The village under the moonlight is peaceful and serene.

Most players had already logged off to rest, with only a few night owls lingering at the village entrance.

The blacksmith's shop was still lit, and the orange glow of the firelight shone through the window onto the bluestone slabs, making it appear especially warm in the night.

Junheng pushed open the creaking wooden door, and the scorching heat rushed towards him once again.

Hogan was sitting by the fireplace, holding a whetstone and carefully polishing a short sword that had already been completed.

Hearing the door open, he looked up, a hint of surprise flashing in his cloudy old eyes.

"Young man, why are you looking for an old man like me so late?"

Jun Heng made no formalities and sat down on the wooden bench opposite Hogan with a solemn expression.

"Master Hogan, I have something I'd like to ask you."

Hogan put down his short sword, picked up the rough earthenware teacup beside him, took a sip, and said slowly.

"Speak, what is it?"

Junheng speaks frankly and without reservation.

"Master Hogan, you previously asked me to go to Dawn City to find the blacksmith Hawke."

"I'd like to ask, how exactly do you know this Hawke?"

Hogan paused slightly in his teacup, a barely perceptible flicker of emotion flashing in his cloudy old eyes.

"Why are you suddenly asking this?"

Jun Heng didn't hide anything: "I received a hidden mission to find a traitor named Lost."

"He disguised himself as a blacksmith's apprentice and hid in Dawn City."

"And the blacksmith Hawke you asked me to find happens to be a blacksmith as well."

A brief silence fell over the blacksmith's shop.

The fire crackled and popped, casting interplay of light and shadow with its orange-red glow.

After a long while, Hogan slowly put down his teacup, his rough fingers gently stroking the rim.

"Hawk was my apprentice fifteen years ago. That kid has exceptional talent and high comprehension."

"After studying with me for three years, he has already reached the point of completing his apprenticeship."

"Later, I left the capital for some reason, and this kid started to make his own way in the world on his own."

"It wasn't until a few years ago that I settled in Dawn City and opened a blacksmith shop."

Jun Heng frowned as he listened to Master Hogan's explanation.

Hawke was Hogan's apprentice fifteen years ago, which doesn't coincide with the time of Lost's defection.

In other words, Hawke is probably not Lox.

Since Hawke isn't the one, then it's probably one of the other blacksmiths in the blacksmith shop.

Jun Heng nodded thoughtfully, then continued to ask.

"Master Hogan, have you maintained contact with Hawke in recent years?"

How many blacksmiths worked in his blacksmith shop?

Hogan frowned, his rough fingers tapping lightly on the table.

"That kid Hawke has taken on a few apprentices, but I've been living in seclusion in the newbie village for years and haven't had much contact with him."

"However..." Hogan paused.

"I remember Hawke wrote me a letter three years ago."

"The letter mentioned that he had taken on an exceptionally talented apprentice who had an extraordinary understanding of forging and was even able to complete some complex processes independently."

Jun Heng's eyes narrowed: "What's that apprentice's name?"

Hogan shook his head: "The letter didn't mention a name, only that the apprentice's origins were unknown, and that he had rescued him in an abandoned mine outside the city."

"The young man was seriously injured and almost dying. Hawke was kind-hearted, so he took him back to the blacksmith's shop to treat him."

"After recovering from his injuries, the young man stayed at the blacksmith's shop and learned forging techniques from Hawke."

Jun Heng understood.

Severely injured, origin unknown...

These characteristics closely match Lost's disguise after his defection.

"Thank you for your guidance, Master Hogan."

Junheng stood up and solemnly clasped his hands in greeting to the old blacksmith.

"Young man, are you going to Dawn City?" Hogan asked.

"Yes."

"Very well, with your current strength, there's no point in you staying in the newbie village."

"Go to Dawn City. There you'll find the opportunities you need, as well as the challenges you need to face."

He paused, a complex look flashing in his cloudy old eyes.

"If...if you find anything unusual about Hawke..."

"Please, for the sake of the old man, do not harm Hawke's life."

"Although that kid is stubborn, he's not a bad person at heart."

Jun Heng was silent for a moment, then nodded.

"Master Hogan, rest assured, I will find out the truth and will not kill innocent people indiscriminately."

Hogan smiled with satisfaction upon hearing this.

"well……"

He waved his hand and sat back down by the stove.

Jun Heng clasped his hands in a fist salute again, then turned and walked out of the blacksmith shop.

The sky was already beginning to lighten when Jun Heng received a system notification that he would be forcibly logged off in ten minutes.

In-game time is synchronized with real time.

Thinking about the house he still needed to look at, Junheng logged off immediately.

When Jun Heng took off his helmet, Jiang Mingyue was still fast asleep.

Junheng couldn't bear to wake her, wanting her to sleep a little longer.

But just then, the phone rang abruptly, breaking the tranquility of the early morning.

Jiang Mingyue groped for her phone in a daze, and the incoming call display on the screen instantly woke her up.

The caller ID showed a name named Chen Mo, and Jiang Mingyue pressed the answer button.

"Hey, Mingyue, it's me."

"I received a call from Zhao Haisheng this morning. He said you've moved out."

"I went to the house to look for you, but you weren't there, and the door was even broken."

Are you alright?

A gentle male voice came from the other end of the phone, carrying just the right amount of concern.