Saw

Coordinates: Heart - Heart Core Sanctuary.

The Heart Core Sanctuary right now was like a chaotic international market.

300,000 new players popped in like dumplings plopping into a pot.

With the release of 300,000 global slots, countless newcomers of different skin tones and languages descended. They were awed by the suffocatingly grand crimson hall—some crawled on the floor touching it, others tried to flirt with the aloof [Silver Wing Sentinels].

The once solemn newbie plaza was now crammed with recruitment booths from major guilds.

"Dawn Guild Ninth Platoon recruiting! Only healers and tanks! Join and get a full set of bone gear! That's the number one guild on the server, Feng Shen's guild!"

"Dragon War Guild hiring! Join and get 100 Bio-Energy free! We'll take you through A7 District! Level-up guaranteed!"

"Imperial Dynasty Guild wants high-IQ players! Must pass a logic test! We need brains!"

Beyond the big three, countless small and medium guilds and solo studios sprouted like mushrooms after rain.

"Brotherhood recruiting! All about loyalty, never abandon, never give up!"

"Gold-farming team taking members! Daily pay, Bio-Energy for cash! Want to make money in-game? Join us!"

A foreign player who just entered the game stood bewildered, not knowing what to do, before a warm-hearted Dragon Kingdom aunt grabbed his hand: "Young man, want to join a guild? Our 'Sunset Red' guild may not be high-level, but we can cook—top-notch logistics!"

Coordinates: Blue Star, Dragon Kingdom, some second-tier city.

Time: Late night.

Liu Wei was an ordinary delivery rider, in-game ID "Feng Yi Yang De Nan Zi".

He wasn't a skilled pro player or backed by a big guild. But he got lucky entering the game early and was diligent enough. After finishing his shifts, he'd log in to grind, leech assists, and scavenge trash.

Finally, last night, he scraped by looting an Elite Monster's corpse and hit LV.20.

His fate changed from there.

Right now, he was riding his e-bike on a delivery run, speeding to avoid being late.

At the intersection ahead, a car running a red light suddenly barreled toward him.

"I'm done for!"

That was Liu Wei's first thought.

But the next second, the world seemed to slow down.

[Talent Mapping: Neural Sequence (Blue) - Primary Synaptic Acceleration]

In his vision, the car's trajectory became crystal clear, even the driver's terrified expression was sharp. He instinctively squeezed the brakes, swung the tail, and lowered his center of gravity.

The heavy e-bike felt like a toy in his hands.

Swoosh—!

The e-bike slid past the car's bumper, completely unscathed.

The bystanders were stunned.

"Holy crap? A stunt rider?"

Liu Wei stopped by the roadside, staring at his trembling hands. He took off his helmet and sucked in a sharp breath.

"So this is... extraordinary?"

He hadn't used Titan Blood, no full-body stat boost, but Synaptic Acceleration was enough to put him far beyond normal people.

He stood there thinking for a long time, then opened the [Titan Extraordinary Alliance] app and clicked "Real-Name Registration."

Five minutes later.

[Dragon War Guild New Twenty-Sixth Platoon recruiting! Quit delivering food, we'll give you a squad leader position and pay you a salary. See you in-game, log on!]

[Attachment: Contract]

[Message: Can't believe there's a high-level solo player left. Why didn't you come find us sooner? We'll carry you!]

Liu Wei swallowed hard at the message. He might be slow and hadn't realized the game's value early on, but he wasn't an idiot.

That night, many ordinary people like Liu Wei were just awakening. This kind of superhuman reaction and physique was quietly reshaping society's foundations.

Coordinates: Right Lower Lobe - Duan Bronchus Entrance - [Flame Outpost].

Unlike the fun and games in the newbie zone, this was a real meat grinder.

Though the Flame Demon Lord was slain, the entire Duan Bronchus was still overrun by endless [Inflammatory Sarcomas] and [Lava Elementals]. Players were locked in a grueling tug-of-war, relying on the outpost.

Feng Xing Tian Xia piloted [Titan's Fist] and cleaved through a LV.30 Elite Monster.

The mecha's alarm blared: "Warning! Left arm drive shaft wear at 80%! Recommend factory overhaul!"

"Tch, broken again."

Feng Xing Tian Xia irritably exited the mecha, staring at the smoking steel giant.

"This thing is strong, but the maintenance is too expensive. Pure money pit."

Data Maniac analyzed from the side, "Plus, its combat power is locked around LV.35. Our first-tier average level is already LV.26. At this rate, in another month or two, players' own physical strength will probably surpass this prototype."

"Mechas are just a transition, or consumables for tough fights." Feng Xing Tian Xia nodded. "The future battlefield depends on our own evolution. Unless we get higher-tier tech."

On the other side of the defense line, Zhao Kuo was leading a group in "feeding pigs."

"Eat! Eat up! This is our guild's strategic reserve!"

Zhao Kuo directed the logistics team, dumping cartloads of [High-Energy Protein Blocks] onto the ground.

Before him sat thirty awakened [Warlords (Ancient · Macrophage)].

The leader, No. 704, was the largest, already twelve meters tall, with spikes growing from the chitin greatshield in its hand. Behind it stood 29 equally massive underlings.

[NPC Legion: Ancient Guardian]

[Average Level: LV.27]

[Affinity: Friendly (extra feeding increases affinity)]

[As long as there's food, you're my big bro]

[Specialty: Phagocytosis Evolution.]

"Burp—"

No. 704 let out a belch, patted its belly, then barked an unknown ancient tongue at its underlings.

The thirty giants stood up at once, the pressure like a moving wall of flesh.

"Intruders... clear!"

Boom!

The Guardian Legion charged, like a row of biological tanks, smashing several Lava Elements into fragments, then casually grabbing monster remains and stuffing them into their mouths to keep eating.

"See that!" Zhao Kuo crowed proudly. "As long as you're willing to feed them, this bunch of gluttons is fiercer than mechas! And if they get damaged, they heal themselves! Hahahaha, the perfect wage slaves!"

If the Ancients were the strategic weapons of big guilds, then the [Pet System] was the joy of ordinary players.

Besides the common Slimes (Probiotic) and Berserk Hounds (Eosinophil), some absurdly lucky Ou Huang players started showing off rare finds on the forums.

"Holy crap! Lao San! What the hell is that thing?"

A player pointed at a floating black orb behind his teammate, surrounded by purple arcs of electricity, with a grinning, mischievous face.

The teammate replied with faux modesty: "Oh, I got it from clearing a cyst near the lymph node. It's called [NK Ghost (Natural Killer Cell · Assassin Type)]."

[Pet: NK Ghost (lv.18)]

[Rarity: Epic]

[Skill: Identify Cancer. Deals 500% critical damage to mutated creatures on backstab. Randomly attacks hostile units based on mood.]

Before he finished, the black orb vanished, reappearing behind an Elite Monster.

Pfft!

The low-level Elite's health bar instantly halved!

"Damn, this game isn't just about grinding, it's about luck too!"

The watching unlucky players shed envious tears.

[Server Announcement]

Just as players were immersed in their daily routines of petting pets, feeding NPCs, and repairing mechas, a new system prompt shattered the calm.

[System Prompt: Due to players' continuous clearing of the Duan Bronchus entrance, various blockages near the outpost have been cleared.]

[Titan Breath efficiency slightly increased: 0.2%]

"Only 0.2%?"

Feng Xing Tian Xia frowned. This showed the scale and blockage of this lung region were far beyond imagination.

Because it wasn't just players pushing forward—as far as he knew, the Silver Wing Sentinel Legion had been tirelessly clearing the Bronchiole!

The next second, a red alarm blared.

[Warning: Abnormal rise in oxygen concentration detected!]

[Oxygen-rich environment is activating the "Flame Demon Parasite" in the Duan Bronchus!]

[Due to oxygen fueling combustion, the original crimson magma is transforming into high-temperature "Blue Flame"!]

[Server-wide limited-time mission released: Defend the Flame Outpost!]

[Mission Description: Monsters in the Duan Bronchus are gathering, trying to retake this vent. You must hold the line for 4 hours and defend the position!]

[Base Rewards: Large amounts of EXP, Bio-Energy.]

[Special Reward (Ranked by Contribution):]

[Rank 1-3000: [Titan Blood (Diluted)] Purchase Qualification x 1!]

"Three thousand?!"

The players, who had been joking around moments ago, instantly went red-eyed.

Who didn't know the immense power of Titan Blood? Using it was like activating the Talent Tree for the first time!

"Everyone, stop feeding, stop petting the cats!"

"Prepare for battle!"

"The monster wave is coming!"

Feng Xing Tian Xia pointed into the distance.

That sea of crimson flames had now taken on an eerie blue hue.

Countless mutated parasites, their bodies ablaze with Blue Fire, surged forward like a tide. They burned hotter, moved faster—a qualitative leap brought by oxygen-rich combustion!

"Don't deploy your Mecha if it's not repaired! That armor can't withstand Blue Fire!"

"Divine Guard, hold the line! Healer Team, keep the heals tight!"

"Ancient Legion, clear the path!"

"For Titan Blood!"

"Kill!!"

(Four chapters today! My butt hurts from sitting too long, gotta take a break.)