Enchanting

Coordinates: Lower Esophagus - Cardia Defense Line.

"Help! I'm stuck!"

Dozens of Divine Guard players from the Dragon War Guild were swept into that abyss-like maw, lined with barbs, shields and all. Immediately after, a teeth-grinding "crunch" echoed through the air.

The Gluttonous Maw (LV.23) poked half its body out, its pink skin covered in a thick layer of slime that caused any ranged attacks to deflect upon impact.

"Physical immunity plus magic resistance?" Dragon Fighting in the Wild cursed, "How the hell are we supposed to fight this thing?"

Just then, the sound of something breaking the air came from above.

"Dawn Guild, all units, listen up!"

Feng Xing Tian Xia's voice rang out across the channel.

High up on the wrinkled cliffs of the esophageal wall, three phalanxes swooped down like bats.

"Third Regiment, use grappling hooks to anchor onto the boss's back and establish a foothold!"

"First Regiment, follow up immediately and handle close-quarters armor breaking!"

"Second Regiment, clear the tentacles on the perimeter and protect the healers!"

This was the first time the Dawn Guild had deployed its entire force. The precise coordination of the three regiments looked as if they had rehearsed it countless times.

Swish, swish, swish!

The Third Regiment, led by Thunder King, displayed an incredibly high level of tactical discipline. Three hundred grappling hooks precisely latched onto the edges of the giant worm's spiracles, constructing a makeshift "Bug-Climbing Net" within seconds.

"The path is set! First Regiment, move out!"

Dali Chu Qiji roared, leading hundreds of high-level Divine Guards as they charged up along the net.

"Smash it for me!"

Below, Dragon Fighting in the Wild watched the Dawn Guild's maneuver and gritted his teeth.

"Should we go too?" the vice-guild leader asked.

"Go where? Can we climb ropes?"

Dragon Fighting in the Wild glanced at the balance in his inventory.

"If Feng Xing Tian Xia wants to play with technique, I'll play with gunpowder! Go, buy out every single High-Explosive Alchemical Bomb and Strong Acid Neutralization Bomb on the exchange!"

"Guild leader... we can't."

The logistics director in charge of procurement looked bitter, "We already wiped out the market's stock earlier. There isn't a single grenade left on the exchange. Even if we have the money, we can't spend it!"

"What?!" Dragon Fighting in the Wild was stunned.

He realized for the first time that in this game, productivity was limited. Even if tens of thousands of production players crafted bombs day and night, they couldn't keep up with a war of attrition of this scale.

"Then use the remaining stock and blast it to hell!"

Dragon Fighting in the Wild's eyes were bloodshot, and after a moment of hesitation, he added, "Throw them sparingly! Aim for the weak points!"

The battlefield situation reached a fever pitch.

Above, the three regiments of the Dawn Guild were like maggots on a bone, nailed firmly to the boss's back. The Third Regiment was disciplined and perfectly synced, responsible for drawing the boss's attention, holding aggro, and stabilizing the position; the First Regiment, with their superior levels and elite gear, focused on frantic damage output; the Second Regiment intercepted harassing mobs to prevent interference with the main battlefield and protected the healers.

"The breathing hole! Thunder King!"

Feng Xing Tian Xia stood atop the monster's head.

"Received!"

Lei Zhen knelt on the giant worm's back, shoving his Thunder Magnetic Floating Cannon directly into a spiracle that had just opened.

BOOM!

Purple lightning exploded inside the spiracle.

"ROAR—hic—"

The boss's roar was choked back by a powerful, heavy shockwave!

"Now!"

The Origin Fang in Feng Xing Tian Xia's hand was already saturated with the boss's blood. He seized the moment, turning himself into a black drill, and dove straight into the spiracle that had been blasted open!

A Hunter's job is to strike the weak points!

[Shadow Kill!]

The internal explosion instantly shattered the boss's fragile organs.

A few seconds later.

"Hiss-screech----!!!"

The Gluttonous Maw let out its final death cry. Its insides were churned into mush, its massive body suddenly stiffened, and then, like a collapsing skyscraper, it crashed heavily into the acid pool below.

[Killed Companion Boss: Gluttonous Maw (LV.23)!]

[The Cardia Defense Line... has held!]

"What are you standing around for! Repair the gate! Snatch the mobs!"

[Campaign Settlement: Construction of the "Great Wall of Cardia"]

NO.1 Dragon Fighting in the Wild (Dragon War Guild)

Evaluation: Saturation bombing secured the victory.

NO.2 Feng Xing Tian Xia (Dawn Guild)

Evaluation: Perfect tactical execution and a lethal strike.

Looking at the leaderboard, Feng Xing Tian Xia was not disappointed; instead, he grinned. Dragon War had burned through countless supplies, so taking first place was only natural. The division of labor and cooperation between the Dawn Guild and Dragon War Guild could be called textbook.

[Gene Shop second round of restocking is now open!]

["Titan Blood (Diluted Version)" inventory updated: 2,000 vials.]

[Purchase eligibility: Players ranked in the top 2,000 for contribution in this campaign.]

There was no need to compete for speed this time; the system sent a [Purchase Right Confirmation Letter] directly to the top 2,000 players.

"I'm eligible!!"

A solo Divine Guard ranked 1,999th stared at the pop-up window, so moved that he knelt on the ground and wept tears of joy.

"Hahahahaha, I can finally defy the heavens and change my fate!"

As for those players ranked 2001 and beyond, this moment was more painful than death itself.

A certain Hunter ranked 2001: Rolling on the floor, do not disturb.

High-dimensional perspective: Titan Divine Body.

Gu Yuan watched the defense line at the Cardia close up once more, along with the blocked gastric acid, and finally let out a sigh of relief.

[Gastroesophageal reflux suppressed.]

[Lung threat neutralized.]

"The problem with the Stomach has been temporarily suppressed."

Gu Yuan looked at the players who were trying to swim in the gastric acid, only to be scalded to death, and shook his head.

"The current players have gear that is too poor. It's all physical defense; magic resistance and elemental resistance are almost zero."

"If they don't solve the resistance issue, they won't be able to enter the Stomach at all, and they will struggle to move even in the depths of the Liver."

Gu Yuan's mind stirred.

The currently opened Liver and Lung could provide many types of materials. Materials for wind, fire, and poison attributes were already available; it was time to open that system!

[Server-wide system update: The Age of Enchanting and Alchemy.]

[New NPC added: Rune Craftsman (Dawn Fortress/Black Stone Fortress/Detoxification Camp).]

[New feature unlocked: Equipment attribute enchanting.]

In-game.

The players who participated in the Cardia campaign followed the Crimson Channel back to the Lung.

As soon as Feng Xing Tian Xia returned to the Black Stone Fortress, he discovered a mysterious, muttering old NPC standing next to the blacksmith shop.

"Young warrior, your blade is fast, but it lacks any attributes."

The old man pointed at Feng Xing Tian Xia's dagger, "Do you want it to burn? Or perhaps you want it to carry poison? Simple speed enhancements are not impossible either."

A brand-new interface unfolded before Feng Xing Tian Xia's eyes:

[Enchanting System Details]

1. Weapon Enchanting:

[Flame Infusion]: Requires Flame Demon Core Fragment (produced in the Lung). Attacks deal fire attribute damage, highly effective against plant/insect monsters.

[Poisonous Coating]: Requires High-Purity Bile (produced in the Liver). Attacks deal continuous corrosion, suppressing monster health regeneration.

2. Armor Enchanting:

[Acid-Resistant Film]: Requires Hardened Gallstone + Slime Mucus. Significantly reduces damage from acidic environments.

[Heat-Resistant Pattern]: Requires Ember Ash. Reduces fire attribute damage.

"This..."

Feng Xing Tian Xia's eyes lit up.

This is the classic strategy of fueling war with war!

Want to reach the Stomach? Then you have to farm Acid-Resistant Material like Gallstone in the Liver.

Want to go deeper into the Liver? Then you have to farm Fire Core in the Lungs to enchant your gear for high-temperature sterilization.

The output from these three organs forms a perfect, circular chain of restraint!

"Brothers! Did you hear that?"

Feng Xing Tian Xia shouted in the guild channel:

"The battle at the Cardia was just an emergency; the Stomach map isn't suitable for entry right now. There's no need for us to follow some solo players to our deaths."

"Shift the focus of all current missions back to the Liver and the Bronchi of the Lungs!"

"We need to farm materials!"

"Everyone change your gear! Enchant all the weapons in your hands into magic weapons!"

"When every one of us has an Acid-Resistant Set, that will be the time for our counterattack on the Stomach!"

With the opening of the enchantment system, the players who had been somewhat lost found their goals once again.

The price of Gallstone in the Liver skyrocketed, and Fire Core in the Lungs was in short supply.

The entire interior of the Titan was once again plunged into a heated frenzy of monster grinding.