Chain of the Dread Colossus

The player system has been reopened, bringing with it several new developments.

Firstly, the Stream City Campaign ended seven days ago, and the rewards for players have already been settled.

Secondly, the blow I took from the Vega Power Gauntlet was so severe that the Severely Injured state I was in while near death would continue for 23 days, during which time all my attributes would be reduced by 45%, which also meant that I should avoid any risky events.

Thirdly, I officially joined the Crimson Dragon Country's camp and finally began my days of fighting in the Crimson Dragon Country!

"Call..."

I let out a soft sigh and silently opened the Dimensional Storage Space. I immediately saw a golden Skill Tome lying in the corner of the space. My gaze lingered for a moment, and its detailed text slowly appeared.

[Annihilation Rock Armor] (S-rank): Rock armor formed by condensing annihilation power, greatly increasing the user's armor and resistance, and providing Damage Reduction against all types of attacks for 9 seconds, which gradually decreases over time. It consumes 5 points of Essence Points and has a cooldown of 18 seconds. Required level: 20. Required class: Super Weapon Master.

Finally, my first shield-type skill appeared!

The details of the Annihilation Rock Armor are not clear from the text, but the word "significantly" says it all. Moreover, it is Damage Reduction for all types of damage, not just physical damage. It can also greatly Damage Reduction from the psionic skills of the Spirit Speaker. In addition, as an S-rank defensive skill, this skill must not be weak.

"Whoosh!"

Consuming the skill points gained at level 24, I directly learned the skill. The next second, a golden icon appeared in the skill bar. Inside the icon, a small figure held a long sword, and a battle armor condensed around him. The battle armor slowly dissipated, turning into smoke and clouds, looking extremely murderous!

By inputting a large amount of Skill Experience, you can directly level up to lv10 and instantly gain 6 points of strength.

I lay back down, took a deep breath, and started thinking.

My phone is gone.

During the Battle of Creek City, I clearly remember forgetting to put my phone into my Dimensional Storage Space. So, it was destroyed by a Power Armor warrior's Explosive Gun...

Amidst the sound of footsteps, Cheng Shuang walked in beautifully once again.

She sat down on the edge of the bed, holding a tray, and said, "The doctor said you just woke up. After the surgery, your body and digestive system are slowly recovering, so you can only eat liquid food provided by the hospital for the next few days. Since you can't move around easily, let me feed you."

"Is it alright?"

I struggled to sit up against the headboard and said, "I can do it myself."

"Um?"

Cheng Shuang gently shook her head. "These are the doctor's orders. You have to listen to them. Don't move around too much these next few days and let your body recover on its own."

As she spoke, she opened the lunchbox, scooped up a spoonful of liquid food, and said, "Open your mouth, ah..."

I looked at her helplessly.

"Cheng Shuang, there's no need for dubbing. I'm not a child anymore."

"Oh..."

Immediately, her pretty face flushed red. "Okay, no dubbing, just open your mouth."

I opened my mouth and took a bite of the special meal for patients. I won't go into the taste, but it did melt in my mouth and quickly went down into my stomach, instantly relieving my ravenous hunger.

Soon after, they finished all the food.

Cheng Shuang tidied up, handed the tray to the nurse, then looked at me intently and said, "Before my brother passed away... did he give you his Ride the Wind Sword?"

"Um."

I nodded, thinking that the purple Tier 3 Wind Chaser was still lying in my storage space, but I couldn't take it out now. They must know that I had nothing with me, and if it suddenly turned into a sword, it would seem quite abrupt and confirm my identity as a player.

Although the Crimson Dragon Country is currently neutral towards players, it doesn't mean that revealing one's player identity is a good thing.

"Unfortunately, that sword was lost in the great battle..."

I frowned. "Perhaps in the hands of my companions."

"Um."

Cheng Shuang nodded slightly. "Ding Han, would you like to hear about the origin of that sword?"

"You say."

"Back then, my brother defied our parents' objections and insisted on joining the Great Wall Watch to become a Sentinel. This caused countless arguments at home, and I was also affected. Eventually, my parents couldn't persuade him otherwise and had to compromise. Luckily, my father had a friend in Jiangning City who was skilled at forging weapons, so he asked this master craftsman to forge this sword at a high price. My brother named it Chengfeng (Riding the Wind), and after that, they were inseparable."

As she spoke, Cheng Shuang's expression revealed sadness. "This sword represents his will and his wish. Therefore, he passed on the Ride the Wind Sword to you, hoping that you would accept this sword and fulfill his unfinished wish."

I nodded without saying anything.

Cheng Shuang sighed and looked out the window.

I looked at her profile and felt a sudden pang of pain in my heart.

This woman exudes an extremely strong sense of fragility. Even when she smiles, there's a hint of melancholy in the corners of her eyes. That fragile beauty, combined with her disheveled hair, creates a visual impact that strikes straight to the heart.

I was quite engrossed in watching it.

"For the next few days, you can only eat liquid foods. After three days..."

She turned to look at me again and said, "Tell me what you want to eat, and I'll make it for you and bring it over."

"That's too much trouble for you."

"It's okay, I'll do it whether you like it or not."

"All right..."

I couldn't persuade her otherwise; it seems Cheng Shuang's personality is somewhat similar to her brother's.

Just then, footsteps could be heard outside.

"I heard Ding Han has woken up?"

It was the voice of Captain Qin, the Great Wall Watch Sentinel Captain.

"Um."

Cheng Shuang nodded with a smile.

"Ding Han!"

Captain Qin entered the ward, his face beaming with joy. "You're awake! That's wonderful!"

"Captain Qin..."

I nodded. "I heard you were the one who brought me to Jiangning City for treatment... Thank you!"

"You're welcome."

Captain Qin smiled and asked, "How's the recovery going?"

"It's alright, I feel my body slowly waking up."

"That's good."

Captain Qin patted my shoulder and said with a smile, "No need to get up, just rest well."

He then looked at Cheng Shuang and said, "I'd like to say a few words to Ding Han..."

"Um."

Cheng Shuang stood up. "I'm going downstairs for a walk."

After Cheng Shuang left, Captain Qin closed the door, then pulled up a chair and sat on the edge of the bed, laughing, "To be honest, I didn't expect you guys to be so strong, actually managing to kill Vega, who was wearing Third-Generation Power Armor!"

"Just lucky."

"Just luck? That can't be right."

Captain Qin laughed heartily, "In short, we all know what happened in the Battle of Creek City, so just relax and rest here."

"Thanks!"

"Look at you, still so polite!"

Captain Qin glanced out the window and smiled meaningfully, "Cheng Shuang... what do you think of her?"

"Fine."

I don't know what he meant.

"She is indeed very good."

Captain Qin withdrew his gaze and looked straight at me, saying, "After learning that you inherited Cheng Feng's sword, she insisted on taking care of you here until you were discharged from the hospital. She has a very strong personality, and there's nothing we can do about it. But you don't need to overthink it. She's only doing this because of Cheng Feng, and her family's wealth is beyond your imagination. So it's best not to have any designs on her."

"Captain Qin?"

I felt a little awkward. "I've never had any romantic feelings for Cheng Shuang. Is there some hidden meaning behind your words?"

"Cheng Shuang has a fiancé, did you know that?"

Captain Qin smiled faintly and said, "A year ago, she and her fiancé went out of the city, but they encountered a swarm of insects that had become agitated after a rainstorm. Their car broke down, and Cheng Shuang was terrified. Her fiancé actually abandoned his fiancée and ran away alone, but he was chased and killed by the insects before he could get far, and was reduced to a pile of bones. This incident hurt Cheng Shuang even more, so..."

Captain Qin said helplessly, "She's a woman who's been hurt before. Although she appears strong on the outside, she actually craves care and love. Plus, Cheng Feng just had an accident, so her defenses must be quite weak right now."

He looked straight at me. "Ding Han, you can't have feelings for Cheng Shuang. If you do, it's taking advantage of her vulnerability. Do you understand what I mean?"

"Understand."

I nodded. "Don't worry, Captain Qin, I won't."

"Um."

Captain Qin smiled and stood up, "Alright, you get some rest. I have a lot of things to take care of. I'll come see you again next time."

"Okay, then I won't see you off, Captain Qin."

"Rest!"

I frowned as the door closed.

Now I finally understand why Cheng Shuang's sense of brokenness was so intense; there were so many stories behind it all.

Before Cheng Shuang returned, I decided to open the Purple BOSS -level Ability Crystal chest that Wei Jia had given me. I reached out and took it out, then opened it directly!

[Congratulations! You have successfully opened your [BOSS Ability Crystal] and obtained the item: [Chain of the Dread Colossus] (Quality: Purple)!]

Purple necklace!

My heart skipped a beat, and I quickly turned my gaze over. A few seconds later, the necklace's attributes appeared.

[Chain of the Dread Colossus] (Quality: Purple)

Rank: Tier 3

Strength: +30

Agility: +28

Blessing: Critical Hit Chance +4%

Blessing: Lifesteal +3%

Blessing: Powerful - I, increases attack power by 80 points.

Specialty: Colossus Fear - When attacking a target, there is a 2% chance to petrify the target into a colossus form for 3 seconds.

Strength required: 300

Requires Agility: 150

A top-tier purple necklace with exceptional attributes, granting 58 points to both Strength and Agility, 4% Critical Hit Chance, 3% Life Steal, and a Powerful Blessing. Furthermore, the Powerful—I attribute bonus from top-tier purple equipment reaches an even higher 80 points, significantly increasing attack power compared to the 50 points from top-tier equipment.

In addition, this necklace has a rather remarkable special ability: when attacking a target, there is a 2% chance to petrify the target!

Looking at this attribute entry, I couldn't help but fall into deep thought.

Does this 2% petrification chance apply to ranged attacks?

If it works, it's practically a god-tier skill. It's like using the Roarer attack, with a full magazine of 50 bullets. According to the probability, it will definitely petrify the target once. And the Roarer has a fast rate of fire, emptying the magazine in 4 seconds. Wouldn't that mean it can petrify the opponent once every 4 seconds for 3 seconds?

If that's really the case, this passive ability would be truly overpowered!

Never mind, I can't equip it anyway, I'll just leave it there and try it out after I reach level 30 and upgrade to a third-tier sword-type super weapon.

Cheng Shuang hasn't returned yet.

I lay quietly on the bed, frowned, entered the Star Map, consumed 1% of my Experience Points, and said, "Player Shadow Chaser, calling for players in the Jiangning City, is anyone there?"

"Holy crap, Brother Han!!!"

Suddenly, a star lit up in the star chart, corresponding to the name—"I'm Bad But Can Talk Trash!"