Infinite Range: The Sniper Mage

Chapter 323: 323: Drinking Alone Like a King

"Shit! Orgod is here! Run for your lives!"

"Don't let that bastard steal the kill! If anyone dares to soften up the boss for him, I'll personally hunt you down!"

"His ID is glowing gold—his Infamy must be in the millions by now."

The Crimson Lizard King soared through the skies, passing over the floating coliseum. Players riding flying mounts scattered like startled sparrows.

"Eat!"

Its blood-red eyes locked onto the Golden Dragon, drool streaming uncontrollably from its maw.

"Damn, why is it raining on a sunny day?"

"Why does this rain feel sticky? This is weird."

Below, players waiting outside the item shop for NPCs to return scrambled for shelter.

"This must be holy water!"

But Infinite Dimensions was filled with eccentric players. Someone boldly theorized that the liquid might be a form of sacred water that could enhance attributes upon consumption.

And so…

"Honestly, it does look pretty appetizing. I agree."

Hearing the Crimson Lizard King's thoughts, Orson gave a rare nod of approval.

The Golden Dragon, lazily dozing in the arena, looked just like a giant, crispy golden chicken—almost too tempting to resist.

The Golden Dragon flicked a haughty glance at the passing Crimson Lizard King, a trace of wariness flashing through its eyes.

Imperial Count Bibienne folded his arms across his chest, letting out a cold snort.

"Fools who seek death—step forward and fight!"

"If they call it The Golden House, then there should be a lot of gold inside, right?"

Orson muttered to himself, completely ignoring Bibienne's provocation.

The arena challenge lasted seven days. Even if someone defeated Bibienne, they'd still have to hold their ground for an entire week. There was no point in wasting time here.

"What's the matter? Scared? Hahaha! I thought you were some kind of big shot, but you're just tucking your tail and running away!"

"We've got eight A-rank players and one S-rank player taking turns. We already knocked 13% off his HP! At this rate, we might actually have a chance!"

Watching Orson fly over the arena, some players started mocking him.

Being a Triple Crown winner was undeniably impressive, but one person's strength could never compare to a coordinated raid party.

"High-tier Dragon Knights don't just die so easily. There's no way Infinite Dimensions would leave such an obvious healing loophole."

Orson sighed, shaking his head.

The stronger a Dragon Knight, the more absurd their skills became.

They had only chipped 13% off the boss's HP—not even enough to trigger the first phase shift at 20% health.

How could they possibly think they could brute-force their way through Golden Dragon Knight Bibienne?

These players were only scratching the surface of dungeon mechanics.

Besides, the Golden Dragon was an enhanced Earth Dragon—it had the defensive might of Earth Dragon Guardian Enluka, but far superior offensive capabilities. A true powerhouse of both offense and defense.

On top of that, Dragon Knight combat arts existed.

Bypassing the Golden Dragon to defeat the temporary city lord Bibienne?

Impossible.

Because high-tier Dragon Knights had an unfair trump card—Life Link.

As long as one survived, so did the other.

For players at this stage, that was practically the same as being invincible.

Ultimately, the Light Dragon Emperor had interfered, deliberately setting up this coliseum battle to pressure Orson into working for the empire.

This arena spectacle was nothing more than a scripted show.

"Oh, so you want to pressure me? Let's see if I can make you sweat."

Orson smirked and urged his Crimson Lizard King toward the southwestern imperial territory.

One hour later, he landed outside Golden City, in an unassuming little village.

A gentle stream flowed through, the distant snow-capped mountains rising majestically. The land was blanketed in crimson flowers, their brilliant colors swaying in the wind.

This was Barrel Town.

Before long, players would discover this place and turn it into one of Infinite Dimensions' most popular scenic destinations.

But for now, the surrounding mobs were Level 50–60, and no high-reward dungeons existed nearby, so few players had ventured here.

"Adventurer, is there something I can help you with?"

A villager woman approached, carrying a wooden bucket.

"Can you tell me where I can find Master Brewer Jack?"

"Oh! Are you here to buy wine?"

Orson nodded slightly.

The woman sighed, "Ah, he's been missing for days now. If you're looking for wine, I can take you to his son, Jenkins."

[Option 1: Insist on meeting Master Brewer Jack. Follow the villager's directions to Phoenix Grove, where you may get lost.]

[Option 2: Visit Jenkins and purchase a fine selection of wines.]

[Option 3: Insult Barrel Town's wine as absolute trash.]

Orson smirked and immediately selected Option 3.

The regional chat channel automatically generated a message:

Orgod: "With all due respect, Barrel Town claims its wine is famous across the empire, but in reality, it's nothing more than flavorless donkey piss."

A new system notification appeared:

[Jack's apprentice Ross is furious! He swears he'll cut you down with his sword!]

[Jack's grand-disciple Kelly is outraged! He vows to rip your mouth apart!]

The villagers' hostility skyrocketed. A prompt appeared:

[If you lack sufficient strength, the villagers may attack you!]

[Would you like to leave this dangerous place?]

Orson chose to stay.

Then, more system-generated insults flowed from his mouth.

Orgod: "They say the divine brew is so enchanting that phoenixes circle Barrel Town, unable to leave."

Orgod: "But honestly? If you gave me this wine for free, I'd still call it garbage."

Even Orson was stunned.

What the hell? This wasn't even him speaking—the system was auto-generating insults and forcing them out of his mouth!

Moments later, another system message popped up.

[Jack's son, Jenkins, is enraged! He's coming at you with a club to personally 'invite' you for a drink!]

Within a minute, hundreds of furious villagers surrounded him.

Jenkins, a middle-aged man gripping a sturdy wooden club, glared at Orson.

"Who dares insult my family's wine? Drink it, then say that to my face!"

A wooden table materialized before them, covered with exquisite bottles of fine liquor.

The rich aroma of high-quality wine filled the air.

Unlike the cheap booze sold in city taverns, these wines were each worth at least ten gold coins.

Some were so rare that first-time drinkers could even gain permanent attribute points.

Jenkins slammed his club down.

"Drink it. Or die."

A system notification appeared.

[Jenkins sincerely invites you for a drink.]

"Sincerely? You call this 'hospitality'?"

Orson's eyes twitched. Some villagers were sharpening their knives in the background…

Another hidden quest popped up.

[Hidden Quest: Search for the whereabouts of Master Brewer Jack.]

[Difficulty: Heroic-Tier]

Orson smirked. Without hesitation, he chose Option 2—continue drinking and insult the wine even more.

The rage meter climbed to 70%.

Finally, Jenkins sneered and brought out a mystical wine flask.

"This is my mother's thirty-year-aged divine brew—a drink fit for emperors."

Orson took a swig.

At that moment, his HP and MP instantly increased by 500 points.

His soul soared, as if he had ascended to drink with the gods themselves.

Jenkins narrowed his eyes.

"Well? Adventurer, how is it?"