Chapter 14
: Addressing Weaknesses and Physical Changes
A witch?
Li Wei immediately became interested; this was the first time a human figure had appeared in Don Quixote's dream.
"Where is the witch?" he asked leisurely, watching Don Quixote solemnly don his armor. "I follow in the knight's footsteps at all times!"
"Yes, yes, squire, that's how it should be," Don Quixote patted his armor, quite pleased with his squire Livy's attitude. "If you continue like this, you'll soon become a true knight!"
Li Wei smiled and shook his head, holding the knife Don Quixote had given him as a weapon for self-defense, and followed behind him, slowly exiting the basement.
On a street near Sunset Park late at night, a homeless man who was delirious from inhaling strong fumes suddenly sensed something emitting light slowly walking towards him.
"God! Lord! You... have manifested!"
He struggled to his feet and stumbled toward the light.
Li Wei walked behind Don Quixote. Even though it was three in the morning in New York and the streets were deserted, he still felt a little ashamed.
The dimly lit environments in the alleys and basements were fine; even though the armor occasionally reflected some light, it wasn't too noticeable.
Don Quixote's silver armor gleamed under the streetlights, and he hummed a song he'd heard from some novel as he walked.
Walking alongside him in the city, swaggering around, Li Wei felt like his toes were about to dig into the ground.
"Sir Knight," Levi couldn't help but ask, "where exactly are we going to find the witch?"
"Patience, squire, be patient," said Don Quixote. "The Misty Forest is teeming with witches' minions; we must—"
Before he could finish speaking, Don Quixote was tackled to the ground by a ragged figure.
"Lord!" the figure cried, clutching Don Quixote's armor. "I am a sinner! I succumbed to temptation! I am guilty!"
"The witch's evil minions!" Don Quixote was suddenly tackled to the ground, struggling to get up. "Let me get up first! You attacked me from behind!"
"Lord! Lord! Lord! Have mercy on me according to your loving-kindness! Blot out my transgressions according to your abundant mercy! Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin!"
The figure grabbed Don Quixote's shoulder and wouldn't let go. Seeing this, Li Wei quickly stepped forward and kicked him away, sending the tramp's back slamming heavily against the streetlight.
"I've already suffered in hell for so long..."
The figure revealed its true form under the streetlight. The homeless man muttered, "When will I be able to go to heaven...?" before falling unconscious.
"Get up, Uncle," Li Wei pulled Don Quixote to his feet. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine! Squire!" Don Quixote, still seemingly lost in his reverie, patted his armor and said with a hint of defiance, "I was just ambushed by the witch's servant... otherwise, I could have easily defeated him... give me another chance..."
"Alright, alright, I understand," Li Wei said. "Let's go back first today, or the witch's pursuers might catch up if we stay here any longer."
Although Don Quixote was unwilling, for some reason he felt that what the squire said made a lot of sense, so he gave up for the day and followed Livy toward the basement.
On the way back, Li Wei looked at the system in his eyes.
Just as Don Quixote was tackled, he suddenly received a mission, which he hadn't had time to read in the heat of the moment:
[Mission: Save the Knight in a Critical Moment]
Even the most valiant knight can stumble, helping him escape a predicament.
[Quest Reward: Strength +0.1, Agility +0.1]
[Task Completed]
[Strength 1.0] - [Strength 1.1]
Agility 0.9 - Agility 1.0
A warm current, like soaking in a hot bath, gently flowed through Li Wei's limbs and bones.
The feeling was very strange. There was no feeling of "explosive power," he just felt for a moment... that he was no longer tired, and his body seemed to have become lighter.
The vague, awkward feeling that had previously restricted his speed disappeared, replaced by a smooth sensation.
Previously, when his mental strength exceeded his agility by 0.3, he had a vague feeling that his brain's reaction speed was faster than his neural reaction speed.
In daily life, it's fine, but when it's late at night and quiet, he feels like his movements are not keeping up with his thoughts.
But now that his agility has increased to 1.0, he feels that awkwardness has disappeared.
From then on, all the shortcomings were made up.
"I wonder how much of a change 1.1's power will bring to me," Li Wei thought to himself.
"Squire! What are you dawdling about?" Don Quixote's disgruntled grumble came from the front. "A knight needs rest for tomorrow's journey."
"I'm here!" Li Wei planned to go to the gym again tomorrow to test how much his strength and speed had improved. "Sir Knight, wait for me."
"Very good, squire, you did a great job today," Don Quixote said to Livy, who was catching up with him, as he walked away. "I'll give you a reward."
A reward? Li Wei's eyes lit up. Last time, he received an extra gold coin as a reward, which started his journey of earning gold coins to move out.
He was really looking forward to seeing what special thing they would offer this time.
I watched as Don Quixote rummaged through his plain armor for a long time, but couldn't find anything.
"Well... here's the thing," Don Quixote said, his tone unchanged, "I was entrusted by the Duke to rid the forest of the witch deep within."
"As long as I rid myself of the witch, I'm sure I'll receive a reward from the Duke," he patted Levi on the shoulder, "and I'll reward you then."
Li Wei touched his nose and had no choice but to agree.
Back in the basement.
Don Quixote's snoring rose and fell, sounding as awful as a street performer in the subway.
Li Wei took off his shirt and went into the bathroom, carefully examining his body in the broken mirror.
The power of 1.1 has exceeded the range of normal people, and some different changes have begun to occur:
The thin layer of sebum that originally covered the bones seemed to have completely disappeared, and the skin was now tightly attached to the muscles.
His pectoral muscles were no longer a thin sheet, but rather a full, square-shaped armor. His eight-pack abs were neatly arranged, symmetrical and full, and the V-lines on his sides rose and fell slightly with his breathing, like the gills of a shark.
Looking in the mirror, Li Wei couldn't help but imitate the pose in the short video, raising his arms and making a back extension. His latissimus dorsi muscles were already taking shape, slightly spreading out like two wings, forming an inverted triangle.
He tried to clench his fist, and several blue veins immediately bulged on his forearm, like winding tree roots entwined under his skin.
The increase in agility reduced his subcutaneous fat, while the increase in strength enhanced his muscle mass.
"Wow, awesome!" Li Wei touched his physique, his eyes gleaming. "Is this the improvement from 0.8 to 1.1?"