Withered Wood Forest
I was taken aback. The Dragon General himself was issuing the mission, and via WeChat no less! How interesting!
"Okay, tell me first, what's the urgent mission?"
"Here's the thing, 300 kilometers east of the Frigid Tundra, there's a Withered Wood Forest. It used to be a forbidden area, and for some reason, the entire forest suddenly lost all life decades ago. The people we sent to investigate couldn't find anything, so we didn't take the Withered Wood Forest seriously. But..."
After the first voice message ended, he quickly sent a second one. "But just two days ago, one of our Great Wall Watch scout teams went missing after entering the Withered Wood Forest. We sent fighter jets to conduct aerial reconnaissance but found no clues. So we hope you can lead a team deep into the Withered Wood Forest and, if possible, rescue that scout team!"
The moment I finished listening to Fang Ran's two voice messages, a system ringtone sounded in my ear.
[System prompt: Accept the quest from Dragon General Fang Ran?]
This needs no further explanation; it's confirmed!
Another ringtone sounded in my ear—
[You have accepted the Main Quest: The Withered Wood Forest (S-rank)! Quest objective: As requested by Dragon General Fang Ran, venture into the Withered Wood Forest to investigate. If you're lucky enough, you might be able to rescue the Crimson Dragon Country soldiers trapped Withered Wood Forest, and you will receive a very generous reward! Quest requirement 1: The rescue target, Senior Dragon Guard Luo Lin, must survive. Quest requirement 2: No one on your side must die during the entire quest! This quest can be shared with up to 9 teammates. Good luck!]
For a moment, I was thrilled. An S-rank outdoor Main Quest —the rewards would definitely be plentiful!
After dismissing Fang Ran, he immediately opened the game 'Team Channel and shouted, "Are you all still awake? Get ready to assemble! I've received an S-rank mission, and it's extremely urgent. Let's head over there right now!"
"Holy crap..."
Cai Cai asked, "I was just starting to doze off. What mission did the boss take on?"
"They're here!"
Ruolin and Kou Mei responded almost simultaneously.
Afterwards, Fatty, Fey Courtier, Huo Bingzhi Ri also spoke, and the Seven-person Team was complete.
"Let's form a team first, I'll share the quest remotely."
They quickly assembled the team and immediately clicked on the team sharing option in the mission. Instantly, a series of "ding-ding-ding" sounds appeared, and golden light icons appeared above the heads of Cai Cai, Ruolin, and the others.
"Accept the mission, everyone."
"Alright..."
Cai Cai exclaimed excitedly, "The Withered Wood Forest, S-class Main Quest, awesome!"
"Have they all confirmed accepting the mission?"
"Confirm!"
"OK, let's go! Meet at the Player Black Market, we'll leave once everyone's there!"
"Set off!"
In the dead of night, seven people sprang into action, launching a full-scale attack!
I opened the door to the room; it was already dark outside. Lin Qingying also gone back to her room.
"Xiao Ying, are you asleep?"
I asked a question from outside the door.
"Squeak~~"
The door opened a crack, Lin Qingying, dressed in her pajamas, tilted her head to look at me, smiling as she asked, "What's wrong?"
"There's an emergency I need to handle. I'll be out for a while, maybe half a day, maybe two or three days."
"Okay, come back soon!"
"Good!"
I glanced at her one more time before leaving.
A dozen minutes later, the Player Black Market.
Everyone arrived quickly, speeding across the Off-road Motorcycle late at night, and in the blink of an eye, all seven of them were gathered.
"Ding Han."
In the dead of night, Old Ma suddenly appeared, stopping abruptly in front of us with a bowl of stewed tofu and side dishes, and chuckled, "Going out in the middle of the night?"
"Hmm, an urgent mission!"
"Okay, I'll be waiting for you guys to come back~~~"
"Just you wait!"
The next moment, the group walked towards the Phase Teleportation Array. After paying to adjust the teleportation direction to the Frigid Tundra, they stepped into the Teleportation Array one after another, and an even colder wind immediately rushed towards them!
The Northern Frontier winds never cease, and they feel like knives on your face.
"Holy crap..."
The fat man tucked his clothes in and said, "Coming to the Northern Frontier for a mission in the middle of the night is truly torturous..."
Stop being so dramatic.
Cai Cai asked, "Fatty, would you be willing to go back now?"
What do you think?
The fat man grinned and said, "With all my orange gear summoned, even if the Heavenly King himself told me to leave, I couldn't leave now!"
Hahaha~~~
The group burst into laughter, while I retrieved Off-road Motorcycle from my Dimensional Storage Space and said, "Get ready to go. Everyone put on helmets and masks. The wind in the Northern Region is too cold at night; don't inhale too much cold air and damage your lungs."
"Um!"
Everyone took out their motorcycles, fully equipped, and set off together. Instantly, seven motorcycle lights sped across the wilderness in the pitch-black night.
Around 3 a. m.
After speeding for 200 kilometers, the team arrived at a wasteland. Opening the large map, they found themselves on the edge of the Frigid Tundra. Beyond this lay an unnamed wasteland. Crossing this wasteland would allow them to enter the Withered Wood Forest territory.
"Buzz~~~"
Suddenly, a crimson light burst forth in the darkness of the wilderness.
"What the hell?!"
I slammed on the brakes, and the Off-road Motorcycle spun out of control, heading toward a small hill in the distance. From afar, it seemed there was a small, abandoned house on the hill, and the crimson light was coming from inside it.
"Let's go take a look!"
At the command, everyone dismounted from their motorcycles, switched to their respective weapons, and headed straight for the hut.
Within the night vision goggles, there was a huge heat source inside the cabin. Just as we approached to within about 50 meters, a violent mechanical roar suddenly erupted, followed by the roof of the cabin being ripped off. A massive figure, accompanied by a mechanical wail, burst out from inside!
Metal Devourer, a fifth-tier mutant!
"Depend on..."
Cai Cai quickly aimed and fired, shouting, "Tier 5 mutants, everyone be careful!"
Something's not right.
I squinted and looked. This Metal Devourer's health bar was only 50%, and its body was covered in blood. It looked old and was a fifth-tier mutant that was about to reach the end of its life.
"Only half health? Did we just get lucky?" Huo Bingzhi Ri with a smug look on his face.
"That seems to be the case."
While shooting, Zhang Ruolin laughed and said, "Sure enough, it's always good to come and explore the large map of <Star Abyss>. You can always make some money that way."
Everyone agreed.
After emptying the magazines of my two Explosive Gun, I dashed out, switched my main weapon to Power Sword, and released a Dragon Binding Rope. Immediately, the ground hummed, and golden vines burst forth from the earth, trapping the massive body of the Metal Devourer in place!
"Roar~~~"
Inside the machine, the Metal Devourer's body roared, and the furnace in its chest spun with a deafening roar, about to spew out molten metal at high temperatures!
"Whoosh!"
A short blade crackling with lightning flew out in the wind!
Energy Blade Throw!
With a "snap," the Energy Blade struck the Metal Devourer's abdomen, instantly sending currents surging through it and paralyzing its body in place. I seized the Explosive Charge and appeared behind it. I climbed onto its back in a few steps, traversing its weed-covered and rusty back, and swept my Power Sword across, slicing its water-cooling system in two!
"Buzzing~~~"
The furnace inside the Metal Devourer rapidly began to overload!
I was too lazy to waste any more energy, so I raised my hand, pulled out the Energy Blade, and threw it into my storage space. With a single, chilling strike, I froze the BOSS in place. Then I took off running, not giving the Metal Devourer a chance to attack. After rushing dozens of meters away, I pulled out my UZI and started firing wildly!
The wasteland, which was originally dark, became lively because of our battle.
The Metal Devourer's furnace, about to overload, emitted intense flames, while the muzzles of our seven guns spat fire, each bullet transforming into a streak of black fire that quickly streaked away—the scene was simply breathtaking!
In less than ten seconds, the furnace overloaded, and the health bar plummeted!
In the blink of an eye, the Metal Devourer let out a mournful cry, ending its tragic life as neither human nor ghost.
"Thud~~"
The Orange Treasure Chest fell into my storage space. I immediately took it out and opened it, wanting to see what kind of good stuff this lucky boss could get.
[Congratulations! You have successfully opened your [BOSS Ability Crystal] and obtained the item: [Devour Armor] (Quality: Orange)!]
Orange armor?
I was slightly delighted and hurriedly opened my storage space to take it out. Its attributes quickly appeared before my eyes.
[Devour Armor] (Quality: Orange)
Rank: Fifth Tier
Defense: 280
Strength: +40
Physical strength: +38
Specialty: Attack damage +10%
Blessing: Damage Reduction +4%
Blessing: Rock-II, increases defense by 300 points.
Blessing: Resilience, increases your Max Health 3200 points.
Strength required: 650
A pretty good Tier 5 orange armor, with increased damage, Damage Reduction, and Rock-II attributes; having these three attributes already makes it a top-tier item!
This armor suits Zhang Ruolin.
"Ruolin."
I immediately sent her the armor's attributes and asked, "Do you need this?"
"Have!"
Zhang Ruolin immediately nodded. "Although I already have the orange armor, its attributes are rather poor. It only has 3% Damage Reduction, no damage increase, and no Rock-II. It only has one powerful attribute. But as a shield-type super weapon, I definitely prioritize health and defense, so yours is definitely superior."
"Good."
I handed her the Devour Armor directly and said with a smile, "Here you go!"
She put it on immediately, then handed me the original orange armor, laughing, "Here, take this. You can sell it for more than 200,000."
At present, top-tier players are basically pursuing "full orange gear", so the price of orange equipment is still quite considerable. The armor that Ruolin took off, not to mention anything else, is definitely worth 400,000.
Then, he glanced at everyone.
Cai Cai, Ruolin, and Fey Courtier have already reached level 50 and advanced to the fifth tier, while Kou Mei and Huo Bingzhi Ri are both at level 49, just one step away. Fatty is the lowest level, at level 48.
Keep going, everyone!
I smiled slightly, "Reach level 50 and advance to the fifth job as soon as possible, don't hold everyone back!"
"Understand!"
The three nodded in unison.
"Let's move out and continue into the Withered Wood Forest!"
Amidst the roar of seven Off-road Motorcycle, the group sped through the wilderness for nearly a hundred kilometers. The wasteland ahead grew even more barren, devoid of any greenery. Just as they crossed a barely noticeable map zone, a series of ringtones sounded in their ears—
[Please note that you have entered the treacherous map: The Withered Wood Forest!]
Chaotic forces from the warp have corrupted this place; malevolent Chaos Psionic Energy lurks deep underground, draining the forest of all its life force!
[Chaos Creature roam the world; you must be extra careful!]
In the cold wind, the message from the Withered Wood Forest was even more chilling: the monsters here actually came from the chaos of the warp, something we had never encountered before!
"Boss, shouldn't we be more careful?" Fey Courtier asked.
"Certainly."
I frowned and continued clearing the way ahead, heading straight for the depths of the Withered Wood Forest. On the large map, a blood-red light was constantly rippled in the center of the Withered Wood Forest; if nothing unexpected happened, that would be the point where the mission was completed.
As a result, after entering the Withered Wood Forest for about 20 kilometers, a series of roars came from afar.
What was that sound?
The fat man suddenly turned to the side and looked into the wilderness.
Suddenly, we saw figures flying through the lifeless forest, and from our angle, we could see pairs of eyes gleaming with a blue light.
They really are Chaos Creature!
"Watch out!"
I quickly stopped the motorcycle and said in a deep voice, "Everyone, get into battle mode!"
As he spoke, he put the motorcycle into his Dimensional Storage Space and equipped it with Explosive Gun. He aimed at the dark forest in the distance, and the next second, he saw a group of canine creatures with dark blue eyes and muscular bodies rushing out of the forest and heading straight for them!
Within sight, quickly identify the attributes of one of them.
[Chaos Hyena] (Blue BOSS)
Level: 55
Attack: 1400-2550
Armor: 1500
Life: 100,000
Skills: [Bite Lv7] [Chaos Claw Strike Lv7]
Biography: Chaos Hyena are Chaos Creature from rifts in the warp. These malevolent beings dwell underground year-round, only venturing to the surface to feed when hungry.
"Fire!"
The next second, the Explosive Gun aimed directly at the head of a Chaos Hyena and fired rapidly!
"Bang bang bang~~~"
The moment the magazine was emptied, the Chaos Hyena let out a miserable howl and crashed heavily to the ground. Its entire head was blown apart, and its brains, which were splattered all over the ground, glowed with a fluorescent blue color.
Quickly switch to the UZI, empty the magazine again, and Headshot the second Chaos Hyena!
Based on my firepower, these tough Chaos Hyena could be taken down with about one magazine each. However, the rest of the team's firepower wasn't as strong. Even Cai Cai and Fatty, who were the Firepower Specialist, could only take down about 50%-70% of the Chaos Hyena's health with one magazine. Ruolin and the others had even worse firepower.
"Damn, that's a lot!"
Cai Cai quickly switched shooting targets, constantly slowing down the opponent's approach.
"Back off!"
As I fired wildly, I scanned my surroundings and eventually spotted a cave about 50 meters to our side and rear. The entrance was narrow, and if someone blocked it, it would be an excellent position to block and shoot at monsters.
"There!"
I quickly marked it on the map, then drew my Power Sword and said in a deep voice, "I'll stall for time. You all go over there. Ruolin, block the door with your shield. The rest of you, go all out and deal damage. Let's get all the experience and loot from this wave of Chaos Hyena!"
"Good!"
Everyone nodded in unison. The fat man glanced at the surging tide of Chaos Hyena in the distance, his face showing both excitement and worry. After all, this was a level 55 Blue BOSS. If he couldn't hold his position and the opponent broke through, it would be quite troublesome!
With a flash of sword light, he charged into a pack of hyenas with a combination of Battle Roar, Annihilation Rock Armor, and Stardust Wall. In an instant, he was subjected to their bites and Chaos Claw Strike. The Stardust Wall's resilience quickly dropped to zero, and he began to lose health!
"423!"
"3477!"
"503!"
"3309!"
"3788!"
The level 7 Bite is alright, considering my armor is over 3000. With the Chaos Hyena's 2550 attack power, it doesn't hurt too much. Considering my total health of over 60,000, 450 damage isn't much of a penetration. But the Chaos Claw Strike really hurts. It's a strike imbued with chaotic power, a dual attack of psionic and physical energy. Each claw strike deals over 3000 damage, which is extremely painful!
At that moment, I began to feel grateful for my caution. If we had been forced into close combat with the Chaos Hyena, not to mention Ruolin and Bingzi, the two Star Speaker, Fey Courtier and Kou Mei, definitely wouldn't have been able to withstand it. Their health was so low that they couldn't possibly withstand more than a few Chaos Claw Strike!
The next second, just as the number of Chaos Hyena increased, he activated his ultimate move – Power Sword Storm!
"Boom~~~"
A storm of sword light burst forth among the Chaos Hyena pack, instantly causing them to lose health rapidly. The damage per second ranged from 18,000 to 24,000, and it was also affected by critical hits, often exceeding 40,000 damage. In just three seconds, Chaos Hyena were already dying with screams of agony, while my own health bar remained at a relatively healthy level thanks to the continuous life steal from my attacks.
"Ding Han, we're all better!"
In the distance, Zhang Ruolin stood at the cave entrance, shield in hand, surrounded by several others, their guns pointed straight out.
The instant the 7-second whirlwind of the Power Sword Storm ended, a large pile of Chaos Hyena corpses lay on the ground. Without a second thought, I immediately activated my Burst Skill – Chasing Clouds and Pursuing Lightning!
Suddenly, the wind seemed to fly beneath their feet, and as they ran, a milky-white ribbon of light trailed behind them, leading a pack of hyenas straight towards the cave.
"Ding Han, go up!"
Zhang Ruolin suddenly lowered her body and raised the shield high.
I immediately leaped into the cave, stepping on my shield, then turned around, switched to my Explosive Gun, and shouted, "Let's fire!"
In an instant, flames erupted everywhere, and the intense monster-hunting began!
Outside, although the Chaos Hyena's attacks were fierce, most of the damage was reduced when it hit Ruolin's shield. The shield Damage Reduction of the shield-type super weapon was far superior to that of other branches. With Ruolin guarding the gate, it was extremely safe. Moreover, Bingzi and I could take turns. As long as the Chaos Hyena couldn't break through, it was a pure experience-farming situation.
So everything went quite smoothly. Everyone went all out, and the Chaos Hyena outside died one after another, while the Blue Treasure Chest in each of our storage spaces kept piling up and were almost full!
"Wow, that feels so good, wow..."
Cai Cai took a deep breath, her face beaming with joy. "After this wave of clearing, the Dimensional Storage Space will expand by at least 5 cubic meters, do you believe it or not?"
Everyone expressed their belief, after all, there were just too many boxes.
Furthermore, the Chaos Hyena is a Chaos Creature, and Chaos Creature do not exist in the real world as matter. Therefore, once Chaos Hyena is killed, its body will quickly seep into the soil and disappear, giving back to the earth in a form of psionic energy. Otherwise, the entrance to this cave would probably be filled with debris within minutes!
"Roar~~~"
Just as the Chaos Hyena outside were almost wiped out, a sharp shriek suddenly rang out, followed by a figure appearing in front of them. It was actually a Chaos Hyena leader, a level 55 Purple BOSS!
"This place is not safe to linger; let's finish this quickly!"
I charged out with my Power Sword, and together with everyone else, we unleashed a barrage of attacks that ignored defense, finally bringing the Purple BOSS to its knees. Just as the battle was about to end, we also obtained a Purple Treasure Chest.
A few minutes later, the cleaning was all finished.
At this moment, the first rays of dawn appeared in the east, and daylight was about to break.
"Done!"
I grabbed my Power Sword and said, "Open all the boxes, then get out of here quickly!"
"Um!"
Everyone started opening treasure chests with great enthusiasm. At first, there was some anticipation, but later they became numb and opened them in bulk! Basically, over 95% of them were Experience Points, then another 4% were a few Star Coins, Reputation, and other rewards, and the rest were almost all Expansion Crystal!
Cai Cai was right. After opening all the boxes and using the Expansion Crystal, my Dimensional Storage Space expanded by 6.2 cubic meters, reaching a terrifying 49.8 cubic meters, getting closer and closer to the original 64 cubic meter space with sides of four meters!
"Snap!"
The last treasure chest, Purple Treasure Chest dropped by the BOSS!
The moment it was opened, a golden skill book fell into the storage space. Upon closer inspection, its details floated up...
[Range Enhancement] (A-Rank Skill Tome): Passive skill, increases the effective range of the used firearms by 30%, requires level 40 to learn, and requires the class of Firepower Specialist.
It's actually a Tier 4 universal skill for Firepower Specialist!
This is a great item; it increases effective range by 30%, an advantage that players of other classes dream of.
"How do you explain this?"
I pulled out the range booster. "Cai Cai, Fatty, have you both learned it? If not, just roll for it, whoever wins gets it."
"Holy crap..."
Cai Cai looked annoyed. "I already have it! I spent a fortune to get it on the Player Black Market two days ago..."
Hahahaha~~~~
The fat man laughed wildly and happily took away the Skill Tome that enhances range.
"Let's continue, let's get going."
I retrieved the motorcycle and led everyone deeper into the Withered Wood Forest in the morning light.
Not far along, a strong smell of blood suddenly filled the air. Looking over, a chill ran down my spine, and I couldn't help but feel a chill run down my spine!
Less than ten meters away in the woods, a pile of clothes lay on the ground, and the corpses inside had been gnawed down to bones, with even the blood on the bones licked clean. The dead were all wearing Great Wall Watch combat uniforms, and guns were scattered all over the ground, but not a single intact bullet could be found. It seemed that they had run out of ammunition and supplies and had ended up in this state.
"Grass..."
Huo Bingzhi Ri frowned and said, "Was it the Chaos Hyena we just wiped out?"
"Most likely."
I carried the Explosive Gun and took a few more steps when I saw a soldier wearing Generation 2 Armor power armor lying under a dead tree. His Power Armor was covered in hyena bite marks, the closure of the Power Armor at his waist was bitten off, and his entire lower body had been gnawed down to bones. When I looked down, I found that his internal organs had also been ripped out. If it weren't for the fact that his upper Power Armor was very sturdy, he probably would have been completely gutted!
And on his remaining corpse, wisps of pale blue psionic light flickered.
[This is a Sentinel Captain from the Great Wall Watch. His armor is shattered, and his body is severely corrupted by psionic energy, but his soul is filled with resentment and refuses to simply vanish.]
"Whoosh~~~"
A faint light emerged from the corpse; it was the soul of the Sentinel Captain. His expression was dazed, and he floated blankly in mid-air until he recognized us. Then, in a daze, he murmured, "They've all been captured, trapped in that Windless Valley... Save them... You must save them..."
On the large map, a map marked with the name "Windless Valley" slowly emerges from the northern part of the Withered Wood Forest.
Very good, the main event is about to begin!
Half an hour later, the seven entered the Windless Valley.
The valley was filled with jagged rocks and withered trees, and a strong, pungent smell of blood permeated the air.
"Something seems off..."
Cai Cai, clutching Submachine Gun, frowned as she looked around.
I nodded without saying anything. The environment here did indeed give people a sense of unease. Because the valley was surrounded by steep peaks on all sides, the wind couldn't get in, and the quietness was so oppressive that it made people feel depressed.
"Boss, over there!"
Huo Bingzhi Ri suddenly pointed his gun to the right.
"Hiss hiss hiss~~~"
Amidst a series of long hisses, a deep blue light flashed, and one after another, Chaos Hyena appeared on the sloping hillside. They stared at each of us with ill intent, saliva dripping down their sharp teeth, making no attempt to conceal their thirst for flesh.
"It seems we've fallen into a trap..." the fat man said.
"Really."
I nodded, glanced at the number of Chaos Hyena —around 100—which wasn't much for our small team. I said in a low voice, "I'll go first. You guys shoot from behind. Let's clear out this hyena pack."
Be careful!
The next moment, he charged forward, wielding his Power Sword.
"Hiss--"
A pack of Chaos Hyena let out a series of low growls, then rushed down the hillside in droves and quickly surrounded them.
The instant I activated Battle Roar, Annihilation Rock Armor, and Stardust Wall in quick succession, I stunned a line of hyenas with an Explosive Charge, then charged into the pack, wildly slashing with my sword. The moment the hyenas were dense enough, I activated Power Sword Storm!
"Boom~~~"
With a deafening roar, a storm of sword light swept up, and the screams of the Chaos Hyena being slaughtered echoed throughout the valley, leaving only the sound of barking dogs!
In just seven seconds, he killed more than 50 Chaos Hyena. Then, he charged into the pack with his sword. With the blessing of a max-level Sword Master, his sword flashed densely, and he continuously cleaved and killed the hyenas that attacked him, as if he were in an empty field!
Behind them, Ruolin, Cai Cai, and the others quickly advanced with firepower, constantly sweeping and firing, trying to get their hands on every Blue Treasure Chest of the Chaos Hyena. In this way, the battle became very simple.
"Roar~~~"
When only a few hyenas remained, the abhorrent stench of blood in the wind suddenly intensified. Then, a chilling roar came from the forest behind the hillside. The next second, a gigantic figure soared into the air and stood atop the hill, its body shrouded in chaotic energy from the subspace, its deep purple eyes fixed intently on them.
"Holy crap, what is this thing?!"
Cai Cai, Fatty, and the others were stunned.
Even I was stunned. The monster before me was neither human nor beast, but a body fused with steel machinery, exuding a strong stench of decay and death. Its humanoid upper body had become one with the machine, its purple head was deeply embedded in the vehicle, and its limbs had been modified. Its arms had been transformed into Chainsaw Sword and heavy machine guns, while its legs had been transformed into wheels covered in spikes.
This monster is unheard of; it has never even appeared in the beta test data!
The next second, its attributes slowly emerged--
[Hell Beast] (Orange BOSS)
Level: 55
Attack: 3200-3750
Defense: 2000
Qi and Blood: 5,000,000
Skills: [Ultimate Modification Lv9] [Chaos Power Lv9] [Hymn of Hell Lv9]
Details: Hell Beast are terrifying creatures modified by Chaos. They were originally human Power Armor warriors who, after dying in battle, had their bodies modified by Chaos priests. First, their limbs were chopped off, and their bodies were placed in coffins made from modified Power Armor. Then, dozens of data cables were attached to their backs, and they were infused with Chaos energy, causing their flesh and metal to slowly grow together. Ultimately, they became Chaos servants who suffer eternal torment yet are filled with violence!
"The description makes her seem quite pitiful..."
Zhang Ruolin, holding a heavy shield, frowned and spoke.
"Once his car wheel runs over your little face, you won't feel sorry for him anymore," I teased.
"Snort!"
Zhang Ruolin scoffed, "How do we fight?"
"As usual, it's just Orange BOSS, let's go!"
As I spoke, I immediately used Battle Roar + Tian Gong Kai Wu + Unstoppable Overpowering Momentum + Explosive Charge to engage the Hell Beast, giving it no chance to retaliate. I swung my Power Sword and instantly unleashed a combo of normal slash + Consecutive Slashes + normal slash + Ash Sweep + Rising Dragon Slash to subdue it. While the Hell Beast was in the air, I immediately followed up with the second combo. After finishing the combo, I instantly Cold Star Piercing Bone and retreated quickly!
"Whoosh!"
He raised his hand, consuming a small amount of Essence Points, and used the Dragon Binding Rope to trap the Hell Beast in place!
"Full power!"
Switching between his Explosive Gun and UZI in quick succession, he instantly drained hundreds of thousands of health points from the Hell Beast!
A few seconds later, the Hell Beast roared, its face embedded in the center of the mech looking extremely angry. Its legs, transformed into wheels, hummed and roared as it charged forward at a speed of 100 kilometers per hour in 3 seconds!
"Smack!"
A short blade crackling with lightning spun through the air and landed heavily on the Hell Beast's forehead. It was Energy Blade throw, which stunned the beast on the spot, and then it got another good beating!
"Control connected!"
The next second, Kou Mei used Stardust Tendril to trap Hell Beast, then Fey Courtier followed up with another Stardust Tendril, followed by Huo Bingzhi Ri's Whispers of Fear. By the time Hell Beast was out of control again, my skill cooldowns were ready, and I could do the melee again. In this way, a perfect control chain loop was formed.
Perfect! The Orange BOSS has practically no chance of fighting back against our team.
Amidst the roar of the Explosive Gun, the outer steel of the Hell Beast twisted, deformed, and shattered, finally unable to withstand the firepower and exploding. Then, the flesh and blood inside, which resembled the body of an undead, was burned and struggled and twisted, eventually turning into ashes!
Done! An orange crate is yours!
At the same time, a bell rang in my ear--
[You have successfully defeated the Hell Beast (Orange BOSS). Clues from the battle suggest that the captured human soldiers are not in Windless Valley; they have been relocated by the Chaos Faction. Perhaps you can find the answers you seek at the Pai Temple in the heart of the Withered Wood Forest!]
Sure enough, the final battle took place in the center of the Withered Wood Forest map!
I took a deep breath and quickly opened the treasure chest. With a "thud," a garment radiating orange light fell into my storage space. It looked exactly like the robes of wizards in the Harry Potter movies, but the design was more feminine, and the inside was engraved with runes that emitted Mental Power.
A moment's glance, and its attributes emerge effortlessly—
[Mutant Robe] (Quality: Orange)
Rank: Fifth Tier
Defense: 150
Spirit: +40
Physical strength: +38
Blessing: Damage Reduction +4%
Blessing: Rock-II, increases defense by 300 points.
Blessing: Resilience, increases your Max Health 1500 points.
Soul Fusion Skill: [Mutant Shield], summons a shield derived from alien power. Its resilience is related to the user's spirit, lasts for 12 seconds, consumes 30 points of Mental Power, and has a 120-second cooldown.
Spirit required: 500
Gender required: Female
Looking at the robe's attributes, I was slightly moved. The armor bonus was quite substantial, totaling 450 points, which was like a godsend for fragile classes like Psionicist and Star Speaker. In addition, there was a 4% Damage Reduction, plus a shield-type Soul Fusion skill. Basically, this robe was already considered top-tier among orange robes.
"Kou Mei."
I directly shared the robe's attributes and asked, "Do you need this?"
Wow, yes, yes, yes!
She nodded repeatedly, her face beaming with excitement, completely disregarding her ladylike image. She almost drooled at the sight of the Mutant Robe.
"Internal price, you know what I mean."
"Uh-huh!"
When I traded the robe, Kou Mei quickly offered me 200,000 Star Coins – a win-win situation!
"Damn, the boss is really lucky..."
Cai Cai scratched her head. "How come I only got one purple item?"
"It might be related to Charm Value."
Without thinking, I replied, "I have 30 Charm Value points, how many do you have?"
"I'm just a nobody, 12 o'clock!"
"So few..."
Cai Cai continued scratching her head, looking ashamed.
Actually, as a top player in Huaining City, Cai Cai's 12 Charm Value points are quite a lot. He must have won a lot of rewards from S-level or higher missions to accumulate so many Charm Value, which should be the ceiling for ordinary players.
However, those like me who constantly take on main quests and daily tasks from Lu Xiaobei, Lin Qingying, and the internet cafe are in the minority.
Experience tells me that you can't be lazy in the world of <Star Abyss>. Hiding in your rented room and enjoying yourself is a bad idea. You must have more social interactions, and the higher the level of interaction, the higher the chance of triggering advanced missions!
Like me, I often expand my internet cafe to 300 computers, or participate in college leagues like WHL, which are basically things that ordinary players can't access.
Milo seems to be the same; he has accomplished many S-level or higher daily tasks by releasing songs and albums.
"Let's go to the Pai Temple."
Leaving the Windless Valley, the seven of them took out their motorcycles and headed straight for the center of the Withered Wood Forest!
About half an hour later, they arrived a few miles from the Pai Temple. They put away their motorcycles, put on their weapons, and cautiously approached their destination under the cover of the dead trees and thickets.
Instead of following the main road into the temple, we climbed the rock face from the back of the mountain and eventually reached a hilltop, where we overlooked the entire Pai Temple.
"Boss, look!"
Kou Mei pointed downwards and said in the Team Channel, "Isn't that the Senior Dragon Guard we're required to survive in our mission?"
Below, a soldier from the Crimson Dragon Country, wearing Generation 3 Armor, was tightly bound by dense vines. The vines contracted like limbs, actually sending his body toward a gaping maw. And the owner of that gaping maw was a man-eating flower covered in sharp thorns!
The man-eating plant opened its gaping maw, dripping droplets of viscous liquid. The Power Armor sizzled and was continuously corroded. Inside the Power Armor hood, the battle-hardened and injured Senior Dragon Guard struggled desperately, his face filled with terror!
"Holy crap..."
I felt a chill run down my spine. I quickly stood up, drew my Wind Chaser, and shouted, "Stop watching! Save them!"