Natural Evolution, Arrogance Does Not Exist

Presumably, other players will also need to complete the corresponding tests in the future to obtain this qualification.

"How can I prove my abilities?" Zhang Mingzhen then asked.

City Lord Dong Fangming smiled and explained, "According to ancient legends circulating in our desolate lands, we were repeatedly invaded by demons in ancient times."

"The territory that humanity now possesses was reclaimed through the bloody battles of generations of warriors."

"The demons that were slain on the battlefield did not completely disappear; their spirits still linger on the ancient battlefield."

"Later, our ancestors sealed that battlefield."

"However, if the number of demonic souls accumulates to too much, it will impact the seal and cause it to loosen."

Therefore, each city regularly dispatches warriors into the ancient battlefield to wipe out the remaining spirits.

"The test to become a city Protection is to enter the ancient battlefield and annihilate a designated number of evil spirits."

"The more you kill, the stronger you are."

"Would you be willing to accept this challenge?"

System prompt: "Accept the 'Trial of the City Protection'?"

"Different levels of rewards will be given based on the number of evil spirits eliminated."

"I am naturally willing to accept," Zhang Mingzhen said to the city lord, having chosen to do so.

"It is my honor to become the city's Protection. This test is no problem for me; please hand it over to me."

"A true warrior indeed, you have not disappointed me." City Lord Dong Fangming nodded with satisfaction. "If you are ready, I will send you into the ancient battlefield immediately."

"Thank you for your trouble, let's begin now."

City Lord Dong Fangming then led Zhang Mingzhen to the back mountain of the City Lord's Mansion.

Upon reaching the mountainside, a hidden cave comes into view.

Upon entering, one sees a faint, shimmering light flowing within the cave.

A strange halo, resembling a spatial portal, was Jingjing suspended in the air.

"This is the one-way entrance to the ancient battlefield."

"We have stationed people here year-round in shifts, not to prevent evil spirits from escaping, but to prevent anyone from trespassing—that battlefield is fraught with danger, and a moment's carelessness could mean certain death."

"Warrior, please be careful."

"Clear."

Zhang Mingzhen simply responded and walked towards the teleportation portal.

For players, even if they die on the battlefield, they will only lose a little experience, which actually reduces the difficulty of the mission.

The moment I stepped into the Teleportation Array, a slight dizziness washed over me.

When vision cleared again, the surroundings were shrouded in inky darkness, making it impossible to distinguish one's own fingers or even discern the direction to move forward.

He tried to summon the Azure-Scaled Dragon Python, but there was no response—it seemed this battlefield only allowed players to face challenges alone.

In the task log, the number of Ghast kills is naturally "0".

At this moment, Zhang Mingzhen began to check his attribute panel.

He recalled the new skill he had just learned when he reached level 40:

"[Bear Strike]: Summons the spirit of a white bear to unleash five powerful strikes on a single target within ten feet, each dealing damage equal to twice the target's Intelligence. Cooldown: five breaths. Cost: 500 Mana."

With a slight thought, he cast a spell.

In an instant, starlight-like rays illuminated his surroundings, lasting only for thirty breaths, but enough for him to see where he was.

This is a high platform, surrounded by a transparent barrier.

Beyond the barrier, countless eyes, gleaming with an eerie light, were pressed against it, silently watching him...

If it weren't for his strong will, he probably would have cried out in surprise by now.

This place should be similar to a safe spot in a game; as long as you don't cross the barrier, you won't be attacked by evil spirits.

Zhang Mingzhen suddenly thought of the real world.

So many things that happen in games have come true in real life.

Will safe Safe Zone points appear in reality?

If it appears, it will definitely be a strategic location that major powers are vying for.

He also wanted to try and grab one.

Thinking of this, Zhang Mingzhen took a deep breath and tried to attack the enemies outside.

It turned out that his skills couldn't penetrate the barrier and harm the outside world either—it seems he has to leave this sanctuary; he can't exploit the bug.

He took a deep breath, unleashed a burst of spiritual flame outside the barrier, and then leaped out.

In an instant, a chilling aura swept in from all directions.

Zhang Mingzhen quickly mastered the rhythm of casting skills in this location.

These evil spirits have no intelligence and attack all living things based solely on instinct.

His attributes far exceed those of a normal player, making it easy for him to withstand damage from the opponent.

He quickly switched to monster-slaying mode.

After the kill count surpassed one thousand, it quickly approached five thousand, and the mission progress was nearly halfway complete.

If you return to the portal after completing the task, you will receive many rewards.

But he discovered that the experience gained from these evil spirits was no less than that from level 40 Warcraft outside, so he wasn't in a hurry to leave and decided to continue the extermination.

I wonder what kind of extra reward I'll get if I reach the maximum number of attempts.

During a break from casting the Aura spell, Zhang Mingzhen noticed a few faint purple lights floating in the distance, easily overlooked unless one looked closely.

He maintained his skill while moving towards the light.

Only upon closer inspection could one see that they were several deep purple Spirit Stone with smooth, mirror-like surfaces, from which the halo seen earlier was reflected.

When all the Spirit Stone were collected, the battlefield mission was completed.

Furthermore, the monsters you encounter no longer grant experience.

There is clearly some kind of game mechanic here to prevent players from accumulating large amounts of experience.

Zhang Mingzhen returned inside the barrier, searching for the portal to return.

And the exit is right beneath your feet where you first appeared.

Clearly, only by completing the task will this portal reappear.

"Warrior, you have returned so quickly... Congratulations on passing the test and becoming the Protection of this city." City Dong Fangming looked surprised when he saw Zhang Mingzhen appear.

"This is the record token," Zhang Mingzhen said, handing over the mission token he had previously used.

Dong Fangming took the token and was even more shocked when he saw the number of evil spirits recorded inside.

"In such a short time, you not only completed the trial, but also vanquished so many evil spirits..."

"According to the highest bounty agreement of the Protection Trial, from this moment forward, you are the 'Demon-Suppressing Guardian'!"

"You can enjoy all the VIP treatment in Fragrant Cloud City, and be exempt from all kneeling and bowing rituals."

"This is your Protection's Emblem, please keep it safe."

System notification: "Congratulations to player Chongxing for completing the Protection quest and being awarded the title of 'Demon-Suppressing Guardian'. Reward: 50 Gold Coin and 50 Achievement Points!"

This identity not only signifies a change in titles and badges, but also brings tangible benefits.

All shops in the city will offer a 10% discount, and you will receive permanent residency in Fragrant Cloud City.

Moreover, the profits of traveling merchants increased by five percent.

That number is quite large.

In reality, many physical businesses only have meager profits, around one to three percent. A business that can maintain production is considered a good one.

A large number of physical businesses collapsed.

In Zhang Mingzhen's view, this game is becoming integrated into reality.

Assets in the game will become real-world assets in the future.

... If other players knew about these benefits, they would definitely try their best to achieve the highest score even if they suffered several defeats.

Especially for players who frequently engage in trading.

Speaking of other players, Zhang Mingzhen recalled his original plan to lead a team to conquer the dungeon.

Now that I've reached level 40, I'm qualified to equip myself with gold-grade weapons and armor.

Previously, when clearing the Hell mode of the Monster Altar, he would get a piece of gold equipment each time. With the number of times he will clear it this week, he will be able to collect three pieces, all of which meet his needs.

Leading a team once more will earn you one more piece of gold equipment.

Thinking of this, he casually opened the ranking list and glanced at everyone's progress.

Ranking List

"Chongxing (40)"

"The Imperial Dynasty Defies Heaven (32)..."

"Recruiting players to farm Monster Altar, level 30 required, 20 gold per run!"

Upon hearing the news, War Sky, Dragon Diagram Frenzy, Imperial Dynasty Defies Heaven, Qin Xiao Youhui, and others immediately applied to join the team.

The channel was also filled with noise.

"It's Chongxing, the expert! Please help me, I've applied..."

"Check your level first, or you might get kicked out of the team."

"Twenty gold... I couldn't even scrape together that much with all my savings. It's true that only top-tier players can catch the eye of a master."

"Just five levels short... Next week, I'll definitely be there next week!"

"Empty" (Utterly Empty), stuck at level 25, could only shake his head and smile bitterly as he looked at the team application channel.

Members of Dragon Map, War Alliance, Century Imperial City, and Shadow Legion also saw the announcement.

Each guild has elite members who meet the requirements.

"Guild leader, would you like to join the team? It's always good to get an extra week of dungeon rewards."

Although Dragon Diagram Jinghe was tempted, his level was still a step below hers.

"I originally planned to test the easy difficulty with other guilds this week, but I guess it will be in vain."

"They will probably choose to join Chongxing's group as well."

"I'll go Earth Reading- level Gatekeeper with my own eyes firsthand," Dragon Diagram Frenzy said, his tone somewhat displeased.

We can't catch up with them yet, and all the hard-earned money is going to the poor—what a tragedy!

Just as he expected, the Imperial Dynasty Defies Heaven of Century Imperial City, the War Alliance's War Sky, and the Shadow Legion all agreed.

However, "Qin Xiao Youhui" from the Legion Guild seemed slightly hesitant.

He originally wanted to lead the team to try the easy difficulty, even if the chances of winning were slim, he longed to lead the guild members to challenge the Monster Altar as soon as possible.

After all, the funds aren't his own, so he can't spend them as he pleases.

An application must be submitted to the association.

The Chongxing group-buying information disrupted his plans.

"Go ahead, the guild will cover the expenses."

The voice of Honorary President "Lu Zheng" came through the communication device.

"Thinking back to the predicament we faced when we first entered the Divine Ruins, it's clear that right now, apart from Chongxing, probably no team can easily clear the level 30 dungeon."

"Don't hesitate, make plans after you level up."

With the order given, Qin Xiao Youhui no longer hesitated.

The five-person team assembled instantly.

Zhang Mingzhen knew they were all pragmatic people—before level 35, there probably hadn't been any teams that could clear the easy difficulty of the Monster Altar, so following him was the wisest choice.

The teleportation light dissipated at the dungeon entrance.

Zhang Mingzhen spoke first, "The usual rule applies, all equipment belongs to me."

"This dungeon will drop two silver items, one gold item, and one feather."

"Silver equipment and feathers will be auctioned off for Gold Coin within the team."

"If there are no objections, then proceed with the draft."

In the brief silence, no one objected.

But everyone must be feeling terrible.

They were all prominent figures in their original guilds, but now they are at the mercy of others.

Especially since there is absolutely no room for negotiation.

The five were all extremely shrewd and reserved. They remained silent and simply disappeared into the dark portal of the instance.

The moment they stepped onto the altar, the other four quickly surveyed the terrain.

The map information shows that there are four gatekeepers here.

The three guild leaders had secretly contacted the management to raise funds—unexpectedly, in addition to the rewards for clearing the dungeon, there was also an opportunity to bid on silver equipment.

Although they already possessed silver-quality items, none of them would refuse more Powerful equipment as their levels gradually increased.

These whales (players who spend a lot of money on in-game purchases) already spend a lot of money in regular online games, let alone in a game where their survival and true skill are at stake.

Qin Xiao Youhui having learned the leader's basic information from "Chongxing" earlier; the purpose of this trip was to test the attack strength and skill details.

He also reported the bidding, and soon received permission from the chairman to participate.

"Step back."

Zhang Mingzhen simply uttered those two words and faced the horde of monsters surging towards him alone.

Hundreds of distorted monsters surged forward like a tide, causing the four people behind them to tense up slightly.

This is ultimately a five-player dungeon, and even clearing such a large number of mobs will take time.

Moreover, some of them are mixed in with those capable of forced impact.

If it weren't for the fact that the damage from the Chongxing was enough to instantly annihilate them, the team would probably have had to constantly run around and fight.

At that moment, the four of them exchanged a glance and simultaneously felt a huge shadow looming over them.

"What if such a monster appeared in reality?"

"Will the Dragon Han and Ying Kingdom still exist?"

"Yeah, by then, it'll probably be a post-apocalyptic survival game?"

"Sigh, let's get back to building our doomsday underground fortress!"

"I heard this game is set against an alien backdrop. Has it made any contact with that alien?"

At this very moment.

Just as these people were discussing the game's background, the high-ranking members of the various Earth factions were also sending a request for dialogue to Gao Linzhi.

Gao Linzhi was not arrogant; he was still willing to listen to their requests.

Of course, listening is one thing, doing is another.

He did not appear directly in front of these people.

"Sir, please tell us, where will the planet's environment go in the future?"

"Is the game no longer enough for you? What are your needs? You can tell us in advance," a negotiator pleaded.

To be honest, these people are quite shrewd; they realized that Gao Linzhi had no intention of destroying the Earth.

Therefore, I'm a bit bolder now.

It's basically about going all out. After all, if you're always afraid and hesitant, you won't solve the problem.

For some people, the worst that can happen is death.

Humans will die eventually anyway.

Gao Linzhi answered their questions:

"First of all, the Earth's environment remains technological, materialistic, and not Cthulhu -esque."

"The monsters you encounter are all material. As for the mental monsters, they are all based on suggestion and hypnosis. They cannot cause physical contamination or distortion of your bodies, but your minds may be warped."

"Secondly, this is a real-life event, not a game; there is no manipulation or arrogance involved."

"Everything is simply the evolution of the universe, only it has transformed from the original natural world into the era of the greater universe."