Peak Ranking, Xie Antong's Intel

[Shop function enabled.]

[During your game breaks, Chosen Ones can prepare items to purchase. Products in the shop will aid your performance in the game.]

[Friend system enabled.]

[All Chosen Ones can add friends, transfer funds, gift items, etc. Of course, transaction fees will apply based on the amount.]

[Please look forward to future gameplay features such as co-op play.]

[Feature Announcement.]

[Since the game began, new individuals have been chosen every day. We eagerly await everyone becoming a player.]

[Two games have now passed, and many excellent players have already distinguished themselves. We believe they will eventually possess everything.]

[To help players understand themselves and others better, we will be launching the Peak Ranking after the next game concludes.]

[The Peak Ranking will comprehensively consider players' combat power, game performance, bonus items possessed, and more, to rank the top one hundred.]

[Those who make the list will receive subsequent benefits. We look forward to everyone participating and performing well in the next game.]

The announcement concluded, and the preceding dialogue repeated twice in everyone's minds, as if to emphasize the key points.

Lu Ce's brow furrowed slightly as he watched the announcement.

"Peak Ranking."

This kind of thing would essentially put top players on the spot.

It had only been three games, and he was likely already among the strongest, but his strength was by no means absurd. Compared to some powerful organizations, he was definitely lacking.

To put it simply, he probably didn't have the confidence to survive against firearms yet.

"However, it says there will be benefits, so that might be pretty good."

"I wonder if it will expose my real face and personal information. I'll worry about that when it happens."

Lu Ce decided to put things he couldn't control out of his mind for the time being.

He was cautious, but not without courage for adventure.

It was impossible for him to deliberately slack off in the next game or not participate just to avoid this ranking.

He'd play it safe if he could, but the growth of his strength was paramount. If something truly went wrong, he'd face it head-on.

With these thoughts, he brought up the screen in his mind and looked at the page.

[Rest Mode.]

[Each game, you can choose to be a spectator or a player.]

[Of course, we believe the world welcomes players, and players will eventually own the world.]

[Time until next game begins: 47:57:43.]

[This is God's challenge. Welcome to Chosen Paradise!]

In addition to this standard page, friend and shop pages had now appeared.

After familiarizing himself with how to use them, Lu Ce opened his eyes in the room.

Sitting up from the dim room, Lu Ce felt his physical condition, sensing his complete body.

Yes, it was good. The special reward for a perfect clear – complete restoration.

The benefits of joining the game were most apparent in this aspect. In the real world, the "Chosen of Suffering" effect was too restrictive.

He hopped lightly twice, and the first sensation was lightness, incredible lightness!

If his previous 10 points of Strength had been about breaking through the limits of the Gene Lock, then his current 24 points of Strength were truly beyond control.

Lu Ce didn't know what ancient martial arts masters meant by feeling light as a swallow, but he only recognized one saying: "With great strength, you can throw bricks." He was that brick now!

His legs felt like they had high-horsepower engines, providing terrifying propulsion.

He hadn't felt it in the game before because he didn't have legs and there wasn't much movement. Now, he felt his body control needed adaptation.

If Zhang Tao were to appear and provoke him again now, he might actually hesitate. Hitting someone like this would truly kill them. Killing someone in the real world might be a bit tricky.

His experiences in the game, combined with the previous influence of the Greed Mask, had given him a somewhat perverse tendency. He needed to return to normal.

He opened his phone and tapped on a familiar app. The first trending search that greeted him made his heart tremble.

[——People really die in the Chosen Game!]

Lu Ce thought, As expected.

The second game was when Chosen Paradise would truly show its fangs, and people would realize the true nature and cruelty of this game.

After all, five people who participated in the game with him had died, right before his eyes!

One of them was even someone he had killed himself.

The remaining people hadn't achieved a perfect clear, nor did they have the opportunity for healing like him...

Returning to the real world with a broken leg?

As he thought about it, Lu Ce's heart couldn't help but feel a bit heavy. Such a world-altering event couldn't be insignificant.

[Official should ban the opening of Chosen Paradise!]

[Everyone should be forbidden from participating in the Chosen Paradise game!]

[What is the essence of Chosen Paradise!? Supernatural power or a scam?]

[The sudden increase in hospital traffic across the country, what's the official explanation?]

The trending searches were clearly different from the first time. The previous excitement and curiosity had now turned into panic.

Lu Ce even noticed that some of the more excessive titles and videos, which were visible one second, would disappear the next after a refresh.

It seemed like an invisible hand was indeed exerting great control, frantically deleting content to maintain stability.

But Lu Ce knew that this situation wouldn't last. Suppressing it was impossible.

"Sigh..."

With a sigh, Lu Ce turned off his phone and headed to school.

Ring ring ring!

The class bell had already rung, but the classroom was still very noisy. There was no one to manage it, making it resemble a marketplace.

The students were still chattering non-stop. Boys and girls of this age seemed to have inexhaustible energy, which was hard to comprehend.

However, this time, Lu Ce no longer listened to what they were discussing.

Their discussions about the game, their fear, their speculations – everything was their own personal experience.

Unknowingly, he felt a growing distance between himself and everyone else.

"The game is over, did you watch it? Or rather, did you participate?"

A voice suddenly sounded by his ear, carrying a warm breath, pulling Lu Ce out of his thoughts.

Turning his head, he saw that Xie Antong had somehow leaned close to his ear and was speaking to him.

Although Lu Ce had never admitted it, from her current conversation, it was almost an implicit acknowledgment that Lu Ce was a Chosen One.

"What? Is something wrong?" Lu Ce still didn't answer directly.

"If you successfully cleared it, then congratulations on your good luck. If you were just a spectator, I imagine you've seen a lot."

Xie Antong's expression was slightly solemn. As she spoke, she took out her phone and said in a low voice.

"For this game, I've tried my best to gather intelligence."

"Chosen Paradise is really no joke. Some games' cruelty and brutality clearly surpass physiological limits."

"They are called Hell difficulty, and it's a fitting name! They are truly like hell."

"And, although the game has just begun, some extremely powerful and abnormal players have already started to appear."

"Take a look at this video."

Saying that, Xie Antong furtively passed her phone to him from under the desk.

Lu Ce's left eyelid suddenly began to twitch violently