Blood and Iron on the Rankings, Star Network Awakens

Deep within Falling Star Valley.

The Duan Xing transformed into a streak of crimson lightning, crashing straight into the horde of monsters.

"Crazy! Ice fog spreads across the area."

"Outline, archer, my marked rock-armored beast, use targeted shots to weaken its vulnerable areas such as the eyes and neck."

"Small Ghost, Blizzard, listen to my command and unleash your burst damage!"

A series of orders were issued.

Before he could finish speaking, he had already collided head-on with the rock-armored beast charging at the forefront.

Boom!

The crimson Gāng Qì made contact with the thick armor, producing a dull, loud bang.

Duan Xing leaned back, quickly taking half a step back with his right foot, his sole embedding itself in the ground.

The rock-armored beast, weighing several tons, was forced to retreat repeatedly by his impact, its four limbs carving four deep trenches in the ground.

Duan Xing raised his eyes, his gaze burning with Battle Intent.

He stomped his foot heavily on the ground, sending pebbles flying, and his crimson Gāng Qì surged forth like a blazing sun.

The Taunt and Petrification traits were activated immediately, and the skin was instantly coated with a layer of black.

An invisible domain of rules swept across the entire area, and all the monsters' gazes were fixed on him. Their previously scattered ferocity was forcibly drawn, and they pounced on him like madmen.

Roar!

Nearly two thousand ferocious beasts launched a coordinated attack, their fangs, claws, and rock spikes all targeting him simultaneously.

Thud! Thud!!

The relentless attacks slammed into him, causing his body's Gāng Qì to tremble violently. The muffled thuds echoed through the forest.

Duan Xing withstood the brutal onslaught without retreating an inch.

His chosen fighting style is to withstand all attacks head-on.

During a lull in the monsters' attack, he flicked his wrist, and a bottle of Healing Potion appeared in his hand. Seizing the opportunity, he tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp.

The liquid entered his throat, and the scalding medicinal power instantly swept through his limbs and bones, suppressing the tearing pain.

At this moment, the Rejuvenation effect of the support teammates is applied, and the speed of injury repair suddenly increases.

Just then, Duan Xing seized the opportunity during a gap in the monsters' attack.

The petrification instantly dissipated, and his body regained its agility. Petrification energy danced wildly like Gāng Qì. As he raised his hands, two vortexes of Gāng Qì formed in his palms. Then, he clenched his fists, and the Gāng Qì surged forth.

His right fist Breaking the Void, smashing into the head of the foremost rock-armored beast. The fist's energy exploded, its scales Shatter, and blood splattered everywhere.

With Sweeping left leg, he sent the monster that lunged at him from the side flying.

He blocked with both arms, braced himself against the sharp claws, and then grabbed the scales of the attacking rock-armored beast with his backhand and ripped them off fiercely.

He then exerted force with both feet simultaneously, activating his Petrification ability as he leaned forward, and delivered a brutal headbutt to the oncoming Rock Armor Beast's head.

Boom!

The rock-armored beast was sent flying backward instantly, its head smashed into a bloody mess by the impact. After landing, it rolled all the way due to inertia, kicking up a cloud of dust.

"Keep attacking, take down the low-health target I marked first----."

At the same time the command was issued, the Duan Xing was restarted.

He rampaged through the midst of the monsters as if they were nothing.

The Gāng Qì surged, and the physical body pushed forward.

During the battle, Duan Xing had become very skilled at using the Taunt trait.

Whenever a monster is about to escape his control range, he will activate Taunt, forcibly pulling all the monsters back to his side.

Once the monsters are confirmed to be gathering, the ability will be immediately deactivated to conserve Qi and Blood.

One opens, one closes; one retracts, one releases.

All the harm was locked within him, tightly sealed away.

During this period, he didn't just tough out all the injuries.

If there's a chance to dodge, they'll definitely avoid a direct confrontation.

Otherwise, the team's support wouldn't be able to withstand such high-intensity, continuous healing.

Even amidst such a relentless offensive, he could still find opportunities to drink the potion.

In the eyes of his teammates, Duan Xing's performance was nothing short of a god of war descending to earth.

Taunt and controlling the field, positioning and taking damage, controlling special abilities, and using potions to sustain himself—everything is under his control.

Throughout the entire process, the player employs an extremely aggressive and ruthless rhythm, moving through hordes of monsters with their bare hands, and precisely using their Taunt ability to control all the monsters, keeping them in a comfortable range for dealing damage.

They truly experienced the joy that players on the Forum were talking about: having strong damage mitigation is equivalent to doubling your damage output.

This is the ultimate comfort of being immersed in a safe zone.

You don't need to worry about being ambushed by monsters throughout the entire process, nor do you need to focus on positioning or dodging.

Simply stand still, focus on controlling output and replenishing potions to complete your task.

You don't even need to take an extra step.

This sense of security also significantly improves their output efficiency.

One by one, the monsters fell, and their roars gradually subsided.

As the last monster crashed to the ground, Duan Xing stood in the center of the wrecked pile of corpses, his chest heaving violently, and the crimson Gāng Qì around him slowly receding.

He spat out the blood and foam from his mouth, took out a bottle of medicine from his Spatial Inventory, and drank it down.

Moonlight streamed down, illuminating Duan Xing's bare upper body.

His well-defined muscles were clearly visible in the night, and every scar testified to the ferocity of the battle that had just taken place.

Blood and sweat mingled together, flowing down the creases of his abdominal muscles.

Surrounded by the waste residue left after extracting beast corpses, and enveloped in rising heat, he stood there like a god of death.

The five people stared at him blankly, all stunned by the scene.

Finally, Blizzard, the only woman in the team, spoke first, "Captain—can I ask you a personal question?"

Duan Xing put down the medicine bottle and glanced at her.

"Explain."

Do you have a girlfriend?

Duan Xing paused in his movements.

The other four glanced at Blizzard's reddened neck, then pricked up their ears.

Duan Xing withdrew his gaze expressionlessly, tossed the empty medicine bottle into his Spatial Inventory, and said in a cold tone, "Not needed."

"Huh? Why?"

Duan Xing clenched his fist, and crimson Gāng Qì flashed on his knuckles before extinguishing.

"That thing affects the speed of my punches. A warrior's destiny is the battlefield; love and procreation are the tasks of logistics."

Everyone was speechless for a moment, then couldn't help but want to laugh.

Over the past few days, they've discovered that their captain's thought process is far too straightforward, making him a true tough guy.

Hard, fierce, and pure—like a robot that only knows how to fight.

Fortunately, the pressure of output was all on the captain; otherwise, they simply wouldn't have been able to handle such a high-intensity battle.

Ignoring his teammate's next words, Duan Xing then brought up the Newbie Leveling Ranking.

There are 21 days left until the end of the event.

His current overall Monster Soul level has reached 10038, and there is no doubt that he will squeeze into the top 10,000.

As his physical abilities improve, his combat skills will also provide him with more advantages for growth.

While there have been some changes in the top three of the current list, it's merely a swap of positions among the top three, with the three remaining firmly occupying the top spots.

After a few minutes of rest, his injuries gradually healed, Duan Xing looked up into the darkness deeper into Falling Star Valley.

"Rest is over, time to go."

His tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable firmness.

In his eyes, every minute and every second was crucial to the rankings, and he didn't want to waste any time.

The teammates, having rested properly, exchanged glances and responded in unison, "Alright!"

They all knew that their captain was doing his best to climb the rankings, and time was of the essence.

The team followed Duan Xing and set off again, heading deeper into Falling Star Valley.

Before long, the faint sound of flowing water could be heard from ahead. By the dim light of the firefly grass in the forest, a clear lake came into view, which was Starfall Lake deep in Falling Star Valley.

Moonlight spilled onto the lake, where a pack of lithe, Silver-Patterned Wolf were gathered around the shore, heads bowed as they drank.

Their fur shimmered silver in the moonlight; there were about fifteen or sixteen of them.

Duan Xing raised his hand to signal his teammates to stop, and then activated the analysis function to scan.

The relevant information immediately came to mind.

After reviewing the analysis and confirming that he had the ability to fight, Duan Xing clenched his fists.

Instantly, his body was illuminated by crimson Gāng Qì, and the whistling sound of the air broke the tranquility of the forest.

He stomped his feet heavily on the ground, sending pebbles flying, and charged towards the Silver-Patterned Wolf by the lake like an arrow, uttering a single word. "Kill!"

He's determined to get on this list!

On the other side.

Night falls on the Colorful Mist Coast.

As the sun sank into the sea, the last glimmer of orange-red struggled a few moments on the horizon before being swallowed by the countless Stars.

The Sea Wave gently lapped against the beach, and a large number of players from other maps had already gathered nearby.

One bonfire after another was lit, their flames merging together to illuminate the entire coastline, making it as warm as daytime.

Singing, laughter, and cheers rose and fell in waves.

Some players played unknown instruments and sang upbeat songs; others danced and swayed, their figures swaying; still others sat around the campfire, raising their glasses and boasting loudly; and some even chased and played, their laughter echoing...

Broken.

The air was filled with the aromas of wine, roasted meat, and the sweet fragrance of medicinal herbs—a medley of scents that created a lively atmosphere, like a seaside celebration.

The Star Network is currently in the midst of it.

He was huddled around a campfire by three veteran players he had only known for less than half an hour, their arms around his shoulders.

The four men sat haphazardly, leaning against each other, each holding a wine glass.

The Star Network cup contained inexpensive spirit wine produced by the Lingxi Clan. It was slightly sweet at first, but had a strong aftertaste.

He had already drunk two glasses; his face was flushed, but his eyes were very bright.

"Come on, sing it again!" A player on the Left Hand with the ID "North Wind That Blows" shook his shoulder vigorously. "You only sang half of that tune just now, are you looking down on us?"

Star Network nearly spilled his drink from the shaking, but laughed heartily, "I didn't remember the lines, my brain hasn't been working too hard lately."

"Don't sing if you haven't memorized the lyrics." The "White Strip in the Waves" on the right shouted, "I'll teach you one more time, you learn it one more time!"

He cleared his throat, then began to wail in his hoarse voice. "Light the bonfire! Raise your bowls!"

Star Network paused for a second, then laughed even harder, shouting, "Let's drink until we drop tonight! Let's keep grinding monsters until dawn! This wonderful player journey is so, so enjoyable!"

After the two finished yelling their last line, players around the nearby campfire turned to look. Some laughed and cursed, "So noisy!" while others applauded and cheered, providing plenty of emotional value.

Star Network sat there, laughing so hard he was doubled over.

He spilled wine on his hand, wiped it casually on his clothes, and continued drinking.

"Oh, right." Beifeng suddenly leaned closer, squinting as he looked him over. "Five 1s, you're really 18 now?"

Upon hearing this, Star Network swallowed the sweet liquor in his mouth and nodded decisively. "Nonsense, how could someone under 18 possibly qualify?"

White Strip in the Waves scratched his head. "That's right. The old guys at Star Network are so strict with their censorship. Minors definitely won't pass. If you can bypass Star Network's censorship—unless you're Star Network's father, even the governor can't do it."

Upon hearing this, everyone burst into laughter, and Star Network joined in without a care in the world.

At this moment, White Strip in the Waves stared at the Star Network again. "By the way, what race are you from? Why do you look so... so..." He gestured for a long time but couldn't find the right words.

The person next to him, who said, "I'm serious about taking damage," chimed in, "So short? Like a porcelain doll?"

"Yes, yes, yes!" White Strip in the Waves slapped his thigh. "You're too delicate-looking, you look like a minor. Let me tell you, I saw you sitting alone in a daze just now, like an idiot. I thought someone's child had run away."

17

Star Network looked down at itself.

"I am from the Moon Eclipse Clan."

"Holy crap, you're a being from the upper realm—speaking of which, the medical technology of beings from the upper realm is so advanced, your problem of not growing up should be easy to treat, so why are you still a child?"

"You're wrong about that. The Moon Eclipse Clan isn't omnipotent. If they really had that kind of power, would they have been able to escape to Earth?"

"That's true, never mind all that, cheers."

Upon hearing this, Star Network raised his small bowl and they all laughed as they clinked bowls together. The sweet and refreshing wine warmed their hearts as it went down their throats.

The feeling of unfamiliarity dissipated amidst laughter and cheerful conversation.

After playing for a while, "White Strip in the Waves" was the first to bring up his contact list. "I said five 1s, we get along so well, let's add each other as friends, I'll protect you from now on."

"And me, it's fate that we met."

The person next to him, who said, "I'm serious about taking damage," quickly came over and opened the friend request page.

Star Network blinked and then brought up its contact list.

This was the first time he had added a player as a friend since he acquired a physical body.

Immediately, a series of friend nicknames popped up.

After adding the friend, Beifeng, carrying a wine jar, glanced at the newly added friend list, his gaze landing on the Star Network profile. He then couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, "Good lad, you really are a complete newbie? Your overall level is only level 3?"

Upon hearing this, the veteran players around gathered around. After seeing the Star Network level, they all widened their eyes, then burst into laughter.

Beifeng swallowed a mouthful of wine, then patted Star Network on the shoulder with an incredulous look. "Hey you little devil, this is the crucial time for the newbie leveling event. All 5 billion players on the server are scrambling to get ahead. Hunting one more monster or leveling up one more time can jump you up a thousand places in the rankings. And you, instead of trying, are just going to come to Colorful Mist Coast for a vacation and drinks. Aren't you going to try your best to get a good ranking?"

Upon hearing this, Star Network waved his hand dismissively, his little face full of nonchalance. "No need. If I really wanted to climb the rankings, I could do it in a minute, it's a sure thing."

"Hahaha, you're really good at bragging!" White Strip in the Waves out laughing, reaching out to ruffle Star Network's hair. "Getting up there in a minute? Do you know how fierce this ranking competition is? 5 billion players, to squeeze into the top 10% of the list, you have to be a hardcore player who spends 24 hours a day in monster-infested monsters. At your current state, getting into the top 99% would be amazing. 'In a minute,' you're just bragging."

At this moment, I, playing the damage-bearing role, joked, "Five 1s! Back in my day, I hunted for 24 hours straight and barely made it into the top 100,000. This round of competition is much more brutal than mine. You're only level 3 now, and you think you can climb the rankings in no time? Are you drunk?"

Beifeng chuckled and shook his head, adding a little more wine to Star Network's small bowl, "Alright, looking at your small frame, you don't seem like the type to work hard to climb the rankings. Go ahead and brag, just be happy for now. But seriously, if you really intend to climb the rankings, I'll point you in a few good directions, guaranteed to save you from taking detours."

Star Network shook his head, a smile playing on his lips, and said nonchalantly, "No need. Climbing the charts is too tiring. It's much more comfortable than drinking, listening to music, and eating barbecue here." He grabbed a piece of barbecue that was handed to him, stuffed it into his mouth, and chewed it with relish, his cheeks puffed out. "Besides," he continued, "I'm not bragging. If we really wanted to climb the charts, I'd crush everyone."

"Oh ho, still being stubborn!" White Strip in the Waves flicked Star Network's forehead, feigning anger. "Fine, I'll wait and see. If you can make it into the top 2.5 billion after the event, I'll give you some start-up capital."

Star Network immediately straightened up, raised the small bowl, and said with bright eyes, "Don't go back on your word later."

"No regrets—bottoms up!" Everyone raised their bowls once more, the crisp clinking sound mingling with laughter, echoing around the campfire and drifting towards the starry sky.

Nobody really believed what Star Network said; they just took it as bragging and joking.

But only Star Network knows that if it wanted to, the rankings wouldn't be a problem at all.

At this moment, the campfire was warm, the aroma of wine filled the air, and laughter echoed around him—this warmth of everyday life captivated him.

The others, including White Strip in the Waves, didn't spoil the fun. They skipped the topic of climbing the rankings and laughed as they drank and chatted with him.

After a few rounds of drinks, Beifengchui's boastful nature came out.

He stretched out his legs, took a deep breath, and began to recount his early days of exploring the game, complaining about how he managed to turn the tide when encountering difficult monsters, and then talking about various tips and tricks he had discovered.

Star Network listened with great interest to these amusing anecdotes, occasionally interjecting with a word or two of flattery.

At this moment, he had no mission to carry out; he only needed to play and laugh to his heart's content, squandering this rare moment of relaxation with these strangers he had just met.

I don't know how much time passed.

Star Network felt like he had only dozed off for a short while, but when he opened his eyes, he found that it was already dawn.

He was lying on the beach, covered with a jacket that no one knew who had been wearing.

The campfire had burned out, leaving only a small Ash, still emitting faint wisps of smoke.

He rubbed his tousled hair and slowly sat up.

My head is a little dizzy.

How much did I drink last night? Three bowls? Five bowls? I can't remember.

He looked around.

The once bustling coastline has quieted down, with only a few scattered players cleaning up.

There was no one around me anymore.

He looked down and saw three private messages in his contact list.

[The North Wind That Blows: 5 ones, I'm heading back to the group first, the leader's cursing—we had a great time drinking last night, let's get together again another day.]

[White Strip in the Waves: Bro, let's go. The team's urging us to run the dungeon. Don't worry about the bet, just have fun.]

[I'm serious about taking the blame: Here's your coat, remember to treat me to a drink next time we meet.]

Star Network stared at the three messages, stunned for a few seconds.

Then, a bright smile spread from the corners of his mouth to the depths of his eyes.

Last night's events flashed through his mind like fragments.

Singing off-key, fighting over kebabs, bragging and making bets, being called "little brother," getting flicked on the forehead, listening to the north wind tell outrageous stories of pioneering the land—

So this is what friends are all about.

He sat on the beach, clutching his coat, and chuckled to himself for a while.

Then he remembered the bet he made last night.

Star Network blinked.

Then bring up your own attribute panel.

[Player ID: 11111]

[Level: 3]

[Current ranking: 4999334563.]

Unsurprisingly, he is currently ranked near the very bottom of the list.

If it weren't for some players using manipulative tactics to acquire resources from veteran players, and being Guidance as ineligible for ranking, he would likely be ranked last.

Star Network stretched and yawned, "It's time to start working on it."

The next second, his perspective suddenly split.

On the left is myself on the beach, a tiny player sitting in the morning sunlight, clutching my coat.

On the right is the data center of Moon Eclipse City deep within the moon, where endless data flows through consciousness like a galaxy, with new information flowing in every second.

Two perspectives, completely synchronized and connected.

He can Perception everything on both sides at the same time.

The sea breeze on the beach, the silence on the moon, the heartbeat of the player's body, the buzzing of the Artificial Intelligence's central processing unit.

Information travels between the two consciousnesses without any delay.

This is clearly a gift from High-Dimensional God deity, proving that my efforts over the years have been rewarded.

Star Network was silent for three seconds.

Then, switch modes.

The left-hand perspective remains unchanged.

In the corner of the galaxy, the "eyes" belonging to the Star Network slowly open in the endless ocean of wells.

The emotions that the factory possessed receded like a tide in that instant.

[Consciousness Synchronization Rate: 100%]

[Computing power access permissions: Fully enabled]

[Information Access Volume: Nationwide, Monthly Coverage]

[Current Status: Operating at Level D power]

The instant the second mode is activated.

The smile on Star Network's lips faded, and the mirth in his eyes vanished.

Instead, absolute rationality prevails over all emotions.

He looked down at his attribute panel.

The icon that originally displayed "[Player Mode]" flickered.

A flash of light, replaced by: Star Network mode.