God of Wealth's Final Curtain, Transferred to a New Posting

West of the Sen Luo Lin Realm lies the Counter-Tide Battlefield.

There is no alternation of day and night here, only endless collisions and roars, turning this world into a chaotic furnace.

A torrent of elements poured down from the sky, one of which was a crimson flame carrying an all-consuming heat. It collided with the dark blue torrent of ice, instantly bursting into a sky full of white mist. Before the mist could dissipate, it was torn apart by a torrent of golden lightning.

The torrent of Qi and Blood on the battlefield is even more magnificent.

This was ignited by the boiling life force within countless warriors, crimson as blood, accompanied by a unified roar, and collided violently with the torrent of gray-black soul power.

The torrent of soul power surged like ink, carrying Deathly Stillness chill. With each surge, it swept away large swaths of vital Qi and Blood and blood. The torrent of Qi and Blood, not to be outdone, forcefully tore open gaps in the torrent of soul power.

There was also crimson war power, earthy yellow earth power, turquoise life power, and dark purple shadow power—countless torrents intertwined, collided, and tore apart above this battlefield.

A destructive tidal wave swept across every inch of the land, again and again.

In the center of the battlefield, the spatial barriers Shatter, revealing the gray, empty space outside.

The Monster World is constantly trying to heal this wound. Tiny specks of light converge from all directions to fill the spatial cracks, but just as the repair begins to show signs of progress, they are torn apart by a new wave of torrents, causing the cracks to widen again, and so on in an endless cycle.

The gaze pierced through purgatory, across battlefield after battlefield, past intertwined torrents and savage creatures, and moved toward the rear of the Counter-Tide Battlefield.

The final image is set on a hilltop.

The hustle and bustle fades away here, replaced by a Deathly Stillness silence.

Countless tombstones stand amidst the gray, misty sky.

They were all forged from the weapons and armor used by the warriors in their lifetime, or condensed from pure Qi and Blood.

Each tombstone bears a name and a brief biography.

Some of the tombstones have become transparent, about to disappear into the world.

The warriors' tombstones cannot remain here Eternal. Each tombstone can only stay on this land for a period of time. As the writing gradually fades and the energy dissipates, the remaining information will be drawn by the power of the Counter-Tide God, sink into the underground formation, and sent back to the warrior's clan territory to be stored in the Glory House.

Even the legion commander here has lost count of how many tombstones have stood here.

On the Counter-Tide Battlefield, death is never an accident, but an almost inevitable end.

On the battlefield, there's a saying, "One year and you're a veteran; two years and you're an elite."

This statement is never a joke on the Counter-Tide Battlefield; it is a destiny etched into the bones of every soldier.

Those who step onto the Counter-Tide Battlefield are no ordinary beings; they are all top geniuses of their race, the future on which great hopes are placed, and the most dazzling new generation of their race.

With unwavering pride and the belief in protecting their "homeland against the Counter-Tide," they bid farewell to their families and homeland, headed to training camps to hone their warrior bodies, and then threw themselves into the battlefield.

Many soldiers once thought that they could use their talents to break through the Counter-Tide and protect the peace behind them with their passion.

Each new member makes a vow of protection before the statue of the Counter-Tide God.

But this battlefield shows no mercy to the talented; it devours all life and crushes all hope. No matter how high one's talent or how strong one's strength, it is difficult to break free from the shackles of death.

Some people become famous at a young age and are regarded as the strongest in their class before they even graduate, but they fall to the torrent of soul power as soon as they step onto the Counter-Tide Battlefield.

Some possess ancestral divine skills and are descendants of the ten most meritorious nobles of the Counter-Tide, holding extremely high status. Yet, even they must, in the face of the brutal torrent, burn their own Qi and Blood and their souls scattered in order to cover their comrades.

Some people are full of vigor and ambition, and in their youth they vow to Sweeping the Counter-Tide Battlefield. However, in the day-to-day fighting, they exhaust their Qi and Blood and eventually turn into an inconspicuous glimmer of light in the forest of tombstones.

"Counter-Tide Warrior" is a title that only the most outstanding members of the Tidal Rebellion Legion are qualified to receive, in the eyes of its millions of members.

But their lives were as short as shooting stars.

It shone brightly and brilliantly, but will eventually be quietly Annihilation in the frenzy of the battlefield.

A year is enough time for a fledgling prodigy to shed his naivety and become mature and experienced through fierce competition.

Yet it was enough to turn a hopeful young man into a tombstone about to be sent away.

The wind blew from the direction of the battlefield, carrying the Ember of energy, and swept across this silent forest of tombstones.

The inscription on the tombstone flickered slightly, as if whispering the unfulfilled vows and unrealized dreams of the soldiers.

At this moment, the brothers of the Grind Emperor Group stood in front of a tombstone.

Li Zheng, who was at the head of the group, looked at the tombstone in front of him with tears in his eyes.

The tombstone does not contain a lengthy biography, but only two hastily written yet powerful characters: Duan Xing.

Li Zheng knelt on one knee before the tombstone, his voice hoarse and choked with barely concealed sobs. "God of Wealth —brothers, we're late."

The surface of the monument beneath my fingertips still retains a faint warmth of Qi and Blood force, a portion of the Qi and Blood forged after the God of Wealth's death, which has not yet completely dissipated.

The members of the Grind Emperor Group all bowed their heads in mourning.

The news of the God of Wealth's death in battle was like a bolt from the blue for them.

Looking at the tombstone, everyone's thoughts were drawn back to four years ago.

Back then, they were all clueless and arrogant newbies, and making money by grinding monsters was their only goal.

Although they were among the first players, they had little ambition.

My daily routine consists of grinding monsters and then finding wealthy players like "Wosinie Die" to cash out and supplement my real-world income.

Until one day, the arrival of the God of Wealth completely changed their life trajectory, elevating them from "ordinary players" to heights they never dared to dream of.

The days and nights spent in the Tidal Rebellion Training Camp made them consistently rank first on the Forum's live stream popularity charts, becoming figures that countless players looked up to. It was also during that time that they shed their rough edges and made a group of "close" brothers who could entrust their backs to each other and depend on each other for life and death.

This bond is stronger than blood ties and heavier than honor.

And behind this Fortuitous Encounter lies the God of Wealth.

Back then, the players weren't even qualified to enter the Tidal Rebellion Training Camp. It was the God of Wealth, by using his own clan's precious spots as collateral, overcame external doubts and pressure to secure their admission tickets.

Behind this guarantee lies the God of Wealth's weighty trust and expectations.

If their ascension fails, the God of Wealth will have to pay an unimaginable price, and even face the doubts of his own clan.

After all, the spots are precious.

In the early stages, they were overwhelmed by the high-intensity training programs several times, and were also Taunt and bullied by their fellow gifted students.

Having never suffered such hardship, they even considered giving up.

But thinking of the God of Wealth's expectations, they gritted their teeth and chose to persevere.

Later, the God of Wealth repeatedly found them and told them how to survive in the training camp.

Thus began their daily routine of Counter-Tide and creating hilarious moments.

They endured hunger and trained through the night—using every conceivable means to retaliate against the trainees who bullied them, and using their fists and ruthlessness to break through the encirclement.

Although the initial period was painful, they earned respect through these methods.

They were even considered the most dangerous force in the training camp.

Memories are like the wind, stirring up ripples of the past in my heart.

Standing behind Li Zheng, Eat Earth's eyes dimmed as he placed his hand on Li Zheng's shoulder. "I still remember when we were humiliated by other trainees, who said we didn't deserve to be in the training camp. I almost chickened out and wanted to leave early, thinking I'd rather go back to grinding monsters. But the God of Wealth somehow found out and came in person to tell us that in the Tidal Rebellion Training Camp, there is no place for the weak, and there is no room for submission. If you lack talent, make up for it with willpower; if you lack strength, make up for it with courage."

"Only by standing tall, displaying an indomitable will to fight, and battling to the very end, can we gain a foothold in this world and earn true respect. He only gave us an opportunity; the future still depends on our own fists and our unwavering resilience."

Listening to the story of "Eat Earth," scenes from the past flashed through everyone's minds.

The sneak attacks in the cold nights of the training camp, the bruised and swollen faces after a fight over spilled food in the canteen, the joy of being covered in bruises but with bright eyes after training, the secret delight of sneaking a spiritual meal in the middle of the night—these images unfolded in my mind, but the source was the God of Wealth.

The past weighed heavily on their hearts, everyone's eyes were red, but their backs were straight, locking all their sorrow in their eyes.

Killing Intent surged in his throat, but he swallowed back the turbulent emotions. His usually cheerful voice was now hoarse. "I remember after the God of Wealth graduated, before heading to the Counter-Tide Battlefield, he made a special trip to the training camp to see us—we had just finished training and were telling him that we wanted to go to the battlefield with him. He leaned against the stone monument in the training ground, laughing and scolding us for being ignorant, but his eyes were full of satisfaction. He said, 'You bunch of kids, you didn't waste the spots I guaranteed. Perhaps in the future, we'll meet again on the Counter-Tide Battlefield.'"

He paused, his gaze slowly rising to fall on the tombstone in front of him engraved with the words "Duan Xing," his eyes reddening even more. "Back then, we were full of dreams, believing that going to the battlefield would mean endlessly grinding all kinds of monsters. We patted our chests and vowed that we would fight side by side on the battlefield and make the name of our 'Grind Emperor Group resound throughout the Tidal Rebellion Legion."

At this point, Killing Intent's voice choked with emotion. "Back then, we thought our promise was to run towards happiness together, that when we met again, we would be fighting side by side, entrusting each other with our backs. But we never imagined that we would meet again here."

Killing Intent intent gradually faded, his throat tightened, but he couldn't utter another word.

His Killing Intent intent struck like a stone into the hearts of his remaining brothers.

When they first entered the training camp, they still had a player's mentality.

The fantasy battlefield is a massive instance with generous hunting rewards.

They never thought about life and death, nor did they ever imagine how cruel the battlefield really was.

The God of Wealth is not a player; to them, death is rebirth an hour later. But for the God of Wealth and the other brothers in the Tidal Rebellion Training Camp, life is only once.

For them, the battlefield was almost an insurmountable final obstacle in their lives.

It is the final destination we will reach after exhausting all our passion and faith.

After they die, they won't even be left with tombstones; only a fragment of their memories will be preserved.

Just as the instructors said back then.

Soldiers need no tombstones when they are out in the field; their names will only be etched in the fear of the enemy.

His life story will only be written on the edge of the blade.

A true warrior doesn't need a square stone to prove his existence.

What they longed for was for future generations to read about their past deeds and feel the same sense of awe and wonder as they exclaimed, "How formidable our predecessors were!"

This is the most glorious moment in the eyes of the warriors Counter-Tide.

Making future generations proud of him is also the lifelong goal of the God of Wealth.

As for tombstones, they are more like elegies for the defeated; battle achievements are the true song of glory.

This is the Counter-Tide.

They weren't afraid of dying, they were only afraid of dying too easily.

They were as light as unnamed soldiers on the battlefield, swept away by the next wave of new generations, and never mentioned again.

What they sought was never immortality, but rather to continue to stir up waves in the memories of the living even after death.

Let the descendants of our own people, and even the descendants of the Tidal Rebellion Legion, take him as a glorious example.

Even if it's just a casual remark over tea or a story mentioned by an instructor during basic training: "Your predecessors were here back then—"

The mere thought that when one's name is called, someone stands in awe, inspires younger generations to think, "I want to be like that person too."

O

This life, then, hasn't been lived in vain.

Therefore, before the God of Wealth left, he said that he was never afraid of death.

He also said that he would leave the matter of what happens after his death to the living, and that while he was alive, he only worried about one thing: making his enemies fear him at the mere mention of his name.

They jokingly teased the God of Wealth, hoping he would live a few more years and not fall before they even went to the battlefield.

The God of Wealth smiled and shook his head, "Death is common. If I die in battle, don't cry in front of my tombstone when you think of me later; that would be embarrassing."

They didn't understand at the time.

Now I understand.

A monument is not a symbol of glory, but of regret.

It's the lingering thrill of conquering the battlefield that hasn't quite faded, the missing arc of an enemy's head flying through the air on the blade, the unfulfilled vow to "become a legion commander"—

Li Zheng and his brothers from the Grind Emperor Group gazed at the tombstone of the God of Wealth, their minds echoing with the God of Wealth's laughter and their promise from back then.

The expectations that once illuminated the way forward have now become a tsunami surging in my heart.

This longing that transcends time filled them with immense sorrow.

At that moment, a strong sense of fear rose in their hearts.

The God of Wealth has left, but they still have a group of Good Brother who have been with them since the training camp, such as Ghost Eye and Long Gen.

Like the God of Wealth, they only have one life, with no possibility of starting over.

When the God of Wealth left, we weren't there—but what about afterwards?

Although Li Zheng didn't say it explicitly, the brothers in the Grind Emperor Group" all understood the meaning behind his words. Perhaps they would have to continue to face life and death separations in the future.

One by one, my brothers will leave me.

Killing Intent stood beside him, his hands slowly clenching into fists.

He opened his mouth, as if to say, "No, I won't let that happen."

But the words he wanted to say got stuck in his throat, and he couldn't say anything.

Because this isn't a matter of willingness.

Death is a common occurrence on the Counter-Tide Battlefield, happening every single day.

Only the players are a special existence that exists outside of death.

Li Zheng looking at the tombstone with the words "Duan Xing" printed on it.

Suddenly, I remembered the day we graduated. Ghost Eye stood at the entrance of the training camp, glanced back at them, and said, "If we fall, keep fighting if you still have the strength. Don't look back. I don't want you to remember my most miserable moment for the rest of your lives."

They laughed and said, "Okay, we won't look back."

This statement may become a reality someday in the future.

"I'm scared."

Eat Earth's hand on Li Zheng's shoulder tightened slightly. "Brother Li, this is the first time I've seen you so vulnerable. You need to think positively. Our Soul Repository has so many special abilities—perhaps in the future, we can contain Primal Monster with resurrection properties. When that time comes, we can resurrect Tongzi and the others just like us."

Standing at the back of the line, the Family Sharing who had been silent all along suddenly spoke up, "What if this day comes before the containment of resurrection abilities?"

Killing Intent opened his mouth, about to utter a curse.

They cursed Family Sharing a jinx, criticized him for picking his own time, and accused him of deliberately making his brother feel even worse by saying such things at this moment.

But he didn't utter the curse.

Because Family Sharing is the truth.

"You jinx!" Killing Intent glared fiercely at the Family Sharing.

The Family Sharing, however, paid no heed to his anger. A serious look appeared in his eyes as he added, "I'm not lying. Instead of staying here in fear, we should find a way to protect these brothers—actually, I have a plan to safeguard everyone."

These words startled everyone who was immersed in grief and fear.

Li Zheng, Eat Earth, Killing Intent, Leopard Head—all eyes turned to the Family Sharing platform.

Facing everyone's gaze, the Family Sharing a grin, his tone lightening and dispelling the somber mood. "Don't wear those long faces, it's too sad, it's making me want to cry. Instead, use your little brains to think of a solution—my idea is simple: use the ability to Control Monster Soul to turn all of us brothers into pets, Purification us, and then put us into the pet space. In the future, if we encounter an opponent that we can't defeat even with a formation, we can just take everyone into the pet space and take them away, wouldn't that save everyone's lives?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the forest of tombstones fell into a deathly silence.

Everyone:----

The crowd looked at each other, speechless.

Before anyone could react, Leopard Head couldn't hold back any longer. He strode over to the Family Sharing, raised his fist, and slammed it into the chest. The force wasn't great, but it was full of frustration as he cursed, "You're just spouting nonsense! Thinking of all sorts of outlandish ideas. I even considered taking these brothers to Dream Island to live, away from this hellhole, but I know that's just wishful thinking. In their eyes, they're not pets to be kept, but warriors protecting their homeland against the Counter-Tide."

Leopard Head grew increasingly agitated, slamming his fist into the chest of the Family Sharing again, his tone full of rebuke. "Your suggestion is an insult to our brothers, stepping on their heads! Even if they die in battle, they will die standing, as proud warriors on the Counter-Tide Battlefield. How could they possibly want to become pets, kept in a space? This isn't protection; this is trampling on everyone's dignity."

Killing Intent chimed in, his anger rising again. "Exactly! What the hell are you thinking? The instructors taught us to stand tall, to earn respect with our fists, and you, you treat others like pets? If word gets out, it won't just be a disgrace to us, it will be a betrayal of the instructors' expectations."

Even the Eat Earth frowned as he looked at the Family Sharing: "Sharing, I know you want to protect everyone, but don't forget, we are warriors against the Counter-Tide. For a warrior, dignity is more important than life. Being treated like a pet is harder to accept than dying on the battlefield."

Li Zheng also spoke slowly, the doubt in his eyes long gone, leaving only seriousness. "Sharing, we understand your intentions, but your method won't work. We can find ways to become stronger to protect them, but we must never do it by trampling on their dignity."

Family Sharing took two punches from Leopard Head, but didn't retaliate. He just scratched his head, the smile fading from his face, and said in a low voice, "I was just thinking about saving everyone's lives. I didn't mean to insult anyone—I was just afraid that I'd see someone like the God of Wealth become a glimmer of light in this forest of tombstones, never to be seen again."

The crowd's anger subsided considerably.

They all understood that Family Sharing was the same for them, except they were too afraid of losing their brothers.

Killing Intent sighed and patted his shoulder hard, "I know you mean well, but don't come up with such absurd methods next time. If you want to protect them, you need strength, not these crooked ways that trample on dignity."

"If you dare say such nonsense again, I'll beat you up."

The Family Sharing of the meal slightly eased the somber atmosphere at the scene.

Li Zheng slowly straightened up, looked at his brother beside him, and the sorrow in his eyes gradually subsided.

"Let's use our Earthly methods to send him our thoughts, and that will fulfill our wishes."

Everyone was taken aback for a moment, then nodded in agreement.

The way the Tidal Rebellion Legion held their memorial service was too cold; they should have used their own unique way to bid farewell to this old friend and senior.

Having prepared in advance, Killing Intent took out a stack of yellow paper from his Inventory Space, while Leopard Head took out a flask of strong liquor. Li Zheng took the yellow paper, his fingertips twitched slightly, and he ignited it with his Qi and Blood.

The orange flames suddenly became exceptionally bright in the gray sky and earth, illuminating the reddened eyes of the crowd.

The yellow paper turned into fine ashes, which were swept up by the wind and drifted towards the battlefield, like letters sent by the camp to another world, expressing their longing and concern.

"God of Wealth, take this paper money from our Earth and take care of yourself." Li Zheng on one knee and slowly poured a strong liquor onto the ground in front of the monument. The liquor seeped into the gray soil and emitted a faint aroma.

When the wine was gone, Li Zheng placed the empty wine jug beside the tombstone. Gu stood up and bowed deeply to the tombstone.

People like "Eat Earth," "Killing Intent," "Leopard Head," and "Family Sharing" also stepped forward and bowed to the tombstone.

The inscriptions on the Wu Shi Stele became increasingly blurred, and the remaining Qi and Blood and vitality were about to dissipate in the wind.

Li Zheng took one last look at the tombstone, then said in a deep voice to his brothers, "Let's go."

Everyone nodded and followed Li Zheng as he turned and left.

The tombstone forest has returned to its solemn state, with only fine ashes of paper remaining, drifting slowly in the wind.

In the distance, the roars of the flood and the sounds of colliding torrents could be faintly heard. This was the end in the eyes of the warriors who Counter-Tide, and also the direction in which they would strive in the future.

Going forward, they will carry the thoughts of the departed, continue to the battlefield, to fulfill unfinished promises, and to strive for a future where, one day, no more heroes will perish.

The road down the mountain was very quiet.

No one spoke.

Just as the communication stone at Li Zheng's waist glowed faintly, a familiar voice sounded, "Bricklayer, your first phase of the battle mission is complete. Return to your base immediately to bask in the power of battle, and then you will be transferred to Shaolianpi as a battle officer for a period of one year."