Wang Wu was stunned.
He looked at the Class Change Book, then at Lin Feng, his Adam's apple bobbing violently. Finally, he managed to squeeze out so words with difficulty:
"Lord... this... this is too precious! I... I only joined recently and haven't achieved anything yet, how can I..."
"Haven't achieved anything?" Lin Feng interrupted him, his gaze sweeping over Wang Wu's bandage-wrapped hands.
"In today's battle, how many quivers of arrows did you empty? You kept drawing your bow even when your hands were a bloody ss; you call that not achieving anything?"
He stood up, walked over to Wang Wu, and shoved the Class Change Book directly into his arms.
"Windchaser Archer—it's a perfect match for your Black Iron Longbow. Beacon Fire Village needs every combat-capable person to grow stronger, and you are no exception."
Wang Wu looked down at the Class Change Book in his arms, his rough fingers gently stroking the cover.
Then, he looked up, his eyes rimd with red.
He didn't say many flowery words; he simply stood up slowly, took a step back, and dropped to one knee before Lin Feng, cupping his fists and bowing his head:
"Lord above, Wang Wu swears an oath today—this life and this soul are yours to command. While Beacon Fire Village stands, Wang Wu stands; should Beacon Fire Village fall, Wang Wu shall be the first to fall!"
Lin Feng reached out to help him up and patted his shoulder.
"Get up. Beacon Fire Village doesn't do these formalities. Shooting your arrows well from now on is the best reward you can give ."
Wang Wu nodded vigorously and stood up. The hands holding the Class Change Book were still trembling slightly, but the light in his eyes was ten tis brighter than before.
Tie Dun grinned and said, "Old Wang, you're a class-holder now too! Windchaser Archer, tsk tsk. In the future, we'll be a perfect pair—you shoot the arrows and I'll block the monsters!"
Arrow Eye showed a rare smile and said to Wang Wu, "Congratulations. We can spar with our archery skills in the future."
Wang Wu nodded repeatedly, his eyes slightly red, but he was smiling happily.
Everyone offered their congratulations, and the heavy atmosphere in the hall finally lightened a bit.
Once everyone was seated again, Lin Feng's gaze fell upon Shadow Snake.
She was still sitting in the shadows of the corner, the deep blue fang tucked behind her waist. The wound on her left shoulder had been re-bandaged; her face was pale, but her gaze remained as cool and detached as ever.
"Shadow Snake," Lin Feng spoke.
Shadow Snake raised her eyes to look at him.
"In today's battle, being able to defeat the Rift-Breaker, Silverwing, and twenty-four Bone Eagles at the cost of only three Beacon Guards," Lin Feng's voice was solemn, "you were crucial."
Shadow Snake's eyelashes fluttered slightly.
"You used your own body to block the Rift-Breaker's fatal blow for the Beacon Guards," Lin Feng continued.
"And you were the one who delivered the final blow to Silverwing. Without you, we might have lost more than just three teammates today."
Shadow Snake lowered her head, remained silent for a mont, and then gently shook her head.
"I didn't do well enough," her voice was very soft, carrying a hint of suppressed bitterness. "I couldn't stop... those three."
The hall fell silent for a mont.
Lin Feng looked at her and spoke slowly:
"Shadow Snake, the Nightmare World is not a ga. This price—everyone was well aware of it from the first day they entered this place."
His voice wasn't loud, but it seed to pierce through one's heart.
"Nightmare monsters won't stay obediently in a fixed area waiting for us to slowly clear them like in a ga."
"They appear suddenly, they move in packs, and they will fight back desperately."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone:
"Today's battle was a lesson bought with three lives—we must never take the Nightmare World lightly."
"But those three lives also bought the survival of everyone here, the kill on Silverwing, and all of these spoils of war."
"Their sacrifice was aningful."
Everyone remained silent, but the sorrow in their eyes seed to be slightly diluted by these words.
From his robes, Lin Feng slowly pulled out that pitch-black booklet.
On the cover, deep blue shadows flowed like living things, and the silhouette of a dagger and a crescent moon flickered under the candlelight.
"Shadow Snake."
Shadow Snake looked up, her gaze falling on the booklet, her pupils contracting slightly.
Lin Feng walked up to her and handed 【Shadow Dance】 into her hands.
"A purple Class Change Book, a rare class."
He paused, a faint arc curling at the corner of his mouth.
"After you change ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ classes, you will be the second-strongest combatant in Beacon Fire Village."
The hall instantly erupted.
"A rare class?!" Tie Dun's eyes widened like copper bells. "Holy crap! What kind of god-tier class is this!"
"A purple Class Change Book... this is the first ti in my life I've seen one!" Zhao Hu's eyes were also wide and round.
Wang Wu sucked in a breath of cold air and murmured, "A rare class... Miss Shadow Snake is about to take off!"
Arrow Eye's hand holding the wind-chasing hunting bow tightened slightly; his eyes were full of envy, but even more so, he was happy for Shadow Snake.
Su Yurou covered her mouth and whispered in surprise, "That's incredible..."
Shadow Snake looked down at the pitch-black booklet in her hands, feeling the cold sensation from her palm and a certain resonance beneath the cover that seed to be calling out to her.
She looked up at Lin Feng.
In those eyes that were always cool and detached, a very faint but incredibly genuine ripple now appeared.
"Thank you, Lord."
Her voice was still cool, but it held a hint more warmth than ever before.
She stood up, gripping the Class Change Book tightly, her gaze sweeping over everyone in the hall—Zhao Hu, Tie Dun, Wang Wu, Arrow Eye, Su Yurou, Scarface Liu, A Wang, and the seven silent Beacon Guards outside the hall.
Then, her gaze fell back onto Lin Feng.
"Beacon Fire Village," she said, emphasizing every word, "is what I want to protect."
This ti, she spoke quite a lot.
"Before, I didn't have a ho," her voice was soft but steady. "I wandered the wilderness and scraped by in the Bandit Camp, never knowing where I'd be tomorrow or if anyone would even bury my body if I died."
"Coming here, I found companions and... a place I can return to."
Her fingers tightened slightly around the Class Change Book, her knuckles turning white.
"Those three brothers used their lives to let us live today. From now on, my life also belongs to Beacon Fire Village."
She looked up, staring straight into Lin Feng's eyes:
"Lord, rest assured. From now on, Beacon Fire Village is behind —as long as I live, it stands."
The hall was silent for a mont.
Then, Tie Dun was the first to slap his thigh hard and roar in a muffled voice, "Good! Well said! Shadow Snake, we'll guard the village together from now on!"
Zhao Hu grinned and said, "Shadow Snake, you quiet jar, you've said so much in one breath today, you've really startled old Zhao!"
Wang Wu nodded with emotion, "Miss Shadow Snake, with those words of yours, Beacon Fire Village is secure."
Arrow Eye silently raised his wind-chasing hunting bow and gave Shadow Snake a slight nod, his eyes showing his approval.
Su Yurou stepped forward, gently taking Shadow Snake's hand. Her eyes were slightly red, but she said with a smile, "Sister Shadow Snake, we'll be together from now on."
Shadow Snake was stunned for a mont as she looked at Su Yurou holding her hand, but then, she didn't pull away.
The candlelight flickered, reflecting on these faces that were stained with blood and gri yet filled with smiles.
Lin Feng watched this scene, and deep in his eyes, a hint of gratification also erged.
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