Another Possibility
"We owe our journey to Zhou He and Jiu Chen for their timely assistance. Had it not been for their prompt arrival, we would all likely have perished at the hands of the Fairy Fish today."
After a brief silence, one of the leaders of Mirror City stepped forward and spoke.
As soon as he finished speaking, he bowed slightly and deeply towards the direction of the Dragon Nation's camp, his posture extremely solemn.
Those players who survived being captured by the Fairy Fish, as well as the members of the Rescue Alliance, followed suit, bowing their heads in unison. Their synchronized expressions of gratitude resounded throughout the area, creating a powerful and moving scene.
"Thank Zhou He! Thank you, Your Excellency Jiu Chen!"
Straightening up, a fleeting hint of embarrassment flashed in the eyes of the Mirror City leader. Looking at the silent Xiao Fan and Jian Qingfeng before him, he spoke again in a deep voice, each word tinged with remorse:
"Previously, we misjudged people, listened to slander, and made unfounded suspicions and misunderstandings; some even spoke ill of us. Now, on behalf of all players in Mirror City, I extend my sincerest apologies to you two and to all players in the Dragon Nation. I'm sorry!"
The Mirror City players and alliance members behind him had completely lost their usual arrogance and confidence. They echoed him in unison, their apologetic voices mingling with a hint of embarrassment and awkwardness.
"Sorry!"
Facing the gratitude of the opposing Alliance Rescue Team, Xiao Fan, standing silently at the front of the Dragon Nation camp, remained indifferent, showing no emotion whatsoever. Zhou He beside him was also silent, his expression calm and revealing no emotion whatsoever.
The group of Dragon Nation players behind them, watching this scene, showed no emotion whatsoever. Instead, all their previous grievances were stirred up, and their eyes were full of mockery and disdain.
They hadn't forgotten how arrogant and domineering this group had been not long ago.
They wantonly smeared and mocked their Dragon Nation, arrogantly asserting that they had ulterior motives and were deliberately framing them. Every word they uttered was extremely harsh and arrogant.
Now that they've rescued me from this desperate situation, do they really think a simple thank you and apology can erase all past malice and offense?
That's far too naive.
If it weren't for the connection between the game and reality, and for the sake of stability in the Real World, the Chief would never have intervened to save those who had previously slandered and been hostile to them.
Filled with resentment, the Dragon Nation players could no longer contain themselves, and a chorus of mocking laughter suddenly erupted, shattering the silence on the field:
"Pfft, you think you can just turn the page with a thank you and an apology? Where did your aggressive attitude go?"
"Why did you stop talking? Didn't you previously insist that our Dragon Nation camp harbored ill intentions and was deliberately framing you?"
"There's a limit to overestimating yourself. With your strength, you dare to covet the first kill of a level 300 Magic Beast? In the end, didn't you all have to be saved by us, the 'cunning and treacherous' ones you speak of?"
The cold, mocking remarks came one after another, each word piercing the heart, like a slap in the face to the opposing Alliance Rescue Team.
For a moment, everyone in the Alliance Rescue Team was red-faced and embarrassed, but they had no confidence to refute him.
Although the rescue had nothing to do with them, it was all done by the Great God Jiu Chen alone.
But... so what?
The Great God Jiu Chen is a powerful figure in their Dragon Nation, representing the glory and strength of all players in the Dragon Nation.
The dignity of their Dragon Nation camp is upheld by powerful figures like the Great God Jiu Chen, and cannot be disrespected by others.
Seeing this, the two leaders of Mirror City and the young white man beside them felt their hearts grow heavier.
Seeing Zhou He and Xiao Fan remain silent, neither responding with thanks nor stopping the players behind them from taunting them, he instantly realized what was going on.
This matter cannot be resolved with just a few empty words of thanks and apology.
They won't be able to get this done without spending some money.
After all, Jiu Chen, that terrifyingly powerful high-level Magic Beast, was standing to the side, his cold gaze fixed on them, his fierce aura enveloping every player in the Alliance Rescue Team.
In this situation, they had no choice but to harbor any illusions.
This rescue attempt truly backfired.
With the tense standoff settled, the negotiation phase officially began.
Xiao Fan, Zhou He, and Jian Qingfeng, along with the two leaders of Mirror City and the elegant white youth, found a secluded and deserted open space.
The Bao Bao stood guard to the side.
A silent game of strategy is quietly unfolding.
The negotiation did not last long; in less than half an hour, the six people came out.
No one knows exactly what kind of verbal sparring and tug-of-war the two sides went through, but everyone could guess the final outcome of the negotiations from the starkly different expressions on their faces.
Xiao Fan, Zhou He, and Jian Qingfeng walked briskly, their brows relaxed, and a smile of undisguised satisfaction on their lips, clearly having gained a lot from this negotiation.
On the other hand, the three opposite him had faces as dark as if covered with Frost, their brows filled with resentment and unwillingness, and their bodies were surrounded by a dull and oppressive aura.
The three of them really blew a lot of money during this negotiation.
But they were helpless and could only swallow this huge loss, without even the confidence to retaliate.
The three men wore grim faces, waiting to recoup their losses from Hei Mi later.
He was the one who shouted the loudest back then, so he should contribute more.
Upon seeing this, the players from the Dragon Nation instantly understood and began whispering and joking among themselves.
"Good heavens! Judging from this, the Great God Jiu Chen, our Chief, and Lord Jian have definitely reaped huge benefits this time!"
Someone next to him immediately retorted with a laugh, their tone laced with mockery. "Can't you speak properly? Is that what you call being greedy? It's clearly the other side being considerate and obediently offering tribute!"
Xiao Fan:...
Please, both of you, stop talking.
By the time everything was over, it was already deep into the night.
Although the transitional area is not as dangerous as the core area, it is still a dangerous zone inhabited by Magic Beast, and it is even more dangerous after nightfall, with Magic Beast lurking in the shadows at any time to launch a surprise attack.
To be on the safe side, after discussion, everyone unanimously decided to rest there for the night and wait until dawn the next day before packing up and leaving.
Moreover, with the high-level Magic Beast that Xiao Fan contracted guarding this place, the safety level is far higher than other areas in the wild, making it a rare and excellent place to rest.
The United Rescue Team members suffered such heavy losses but did not choose to leave.
Next, the players immediately took on their respective roles and quickly got to work.
Some people cleared away debris and leveled the ground, while others pitched tents and set up temporary campsites. Still others started fires, chopped wood, and cooked supper. Soon, clusters of warm yellow campfires lit up the dark wilderness, dispelling the chill and gloom of the night, and the campsite gradually became lively.
Xiao Fan didn't join in the others' busy work. He found a spacious, flat area with an excellent view, raised his hand, and gently took out the house from his Space Ring, placed it there, and went inside...
Unbeknownst to him, the instant he successfully formed a contract with the Bao Bao and the Blue Star Server unlocked the new Beast Taming System, the game <Cloud Sea>, spanning countless worlds, instantly triggered a global announcement mechanism.
A vast and emotionless system voice suddenly resounded over every civilized planet invaded and bound by the <Cloud Sea>.
[System Broadcast: Congratulations to Blue Star player Jiu Chen for successfully forming a contract with Magic Beast! The <Cloud Sea> Beast Taming System is now officially open!]
[System Broadcast: Congratulations to Blue Star player Jiu Chen for successfully forming a contract with Magic Beast! The <Cloud Sea> Beast Taming System is now officially open!]
[System Broadcast: Congratulations to Blue Star player Jiu Chen for successfully forming a contract with Magic Beast! The <Cloud Sea> Beast Taming System is now officially open!]
A cold, solemn system notification sounded.
At this moment, billions of players across countless planets, whether they were in secret realm trials, hunting monsters in the wild, or resting, all stopped moving in unison.
As a game that spans countless worlds, <Cloud Sea> features a plethora of hidden systems and gameplay elements.
In the past, there have been instances where players have unlocked new side quest systems, exclusive gameplay, and hidden maps through serendipitous encounters, which have occasionally occurred across various servers and are not considered earth-shattering events.
But this time, the situation is completely different, completely overturning all players' understanding!
Because a player from an outer planet triggered a mechanism, a new system was unlocked across all realms, planets, and servers!
Unlocking a universal new system across star systems is an unprecedented and outrageous operation that has never happened since the launch of <Cloud Sea>, completely shattering all players' understanding of the game rules.
After a brief three-second silence, all the servers exploded instantly!
The World Channel and Regional Channel on every planetary server were instantly flooded with messages, a dense and continuous stream of information. Countless players could not contain their shock and spoke wildly, creating a boiling atmosphere of discussion that swept across the entire game world!
"Holy crap! Holy crap! Holy crap! Did I hear that right? Because players on other planets have contracted Magic Beast, our server has unlocked the Beast Taming System."
"Beast Taming System?! Is this the beast taming system I was thinking about? Holy crap, you can even form contracts with Magic Beast?"
"This is insane! Unlocking the entire server system across servers? What kind of insane operation is this? I've never seen anything like it before..."
"I just asked a few friends from other servers, and their planets also recently unlocked the Beast Taming System. That means because of that player named Jiu Chen, the Beast Taming System has been fully unlocked on all servers..."
After these words were spoken, everyone fell silent for a moment.
He single-handedly unlocked the new system for all server players.
This...
They didn't know how to describe it.
Shocking, absolutely shocking.
"This is outrageous! Our server's top player has been grinding the ultimate dungeon for three years and hasn't triggered a single new system easter egg, while someone else just created a server-wide universal system? The difference is just too big!"
"Our planet has only had three instances of players unlocking new systems in the last hundred years, and those were only on their own servers. This player named Jiu Chen can actually unlock the new systems on all servers. That's fucking amazing."
Besides focusing on Xiao Fan unlocking the new system, many players are more interested in the newly released Beast Taming System.
"Beast Taming System, oh my god! Does that mean that from today onwards, everyone can tame Magic Beast as pets and use them as combatants?"
"A huge profit! A really huge profit! I was worried about not having enough combat power to solo Dungeon later on, but with the Beast Taming System activated, it's like having an extra teammate out of nowhere!"
"I'm so envious! This Jiu Chen is practically a benefactor to everyone in the heavens! He defied fate and even helped the entire server benefit!"
"I really hope I can meet this big shot named Jiu Chen someday..."
This event shocked not only ordinary players, but also the top players and powerful factions across various planetary servers.
On the Golden Radiance Server, the most elite players of the Grain Hall faction gather together.
"Blue Star Server, have you guys heard of this server? And this player named Jiu Chen, who can unlock the universal system for the entire game, why have I never heard of him before?"
"I just checked and asked some other players on other planets we cooperate with, and they haven't heard of this server or this player named Jiu Chen either."
Never heard of it?
The senior executives of the Grain Hall all frowned deeply.
After the planetary Ranked Match began, the competition continued.
There's bound to be some understanding between the different planets; at the very least, you'll know some of the server names.
"Never heard of it? Then there are only two possibilities," a senior executive at the Grain Hall pondered.
"What's possible?" someone immediately asked.
"Firstly, this server hasn't participated in many Ranked Match yet, so it's not well-known."
Upon hearing this, everyone unconsciously shook their heads.
That's simply impossible.
A planet that hasn't participated in many Ranked Match indicates it's a newly invaded planet. How could a planet like that possibly have players who can influence the entire game's progress?
Moreover, he had contracted a Magic Beast.
To be honest, if it weren't for the introduction of the Beast Taming System, they wouldn't even know that Magic Beast could be contracted.
"And what about the second one?" someone else asked.
The man continued, "The second possibility is that this Blue Star Server belongs to a higher-level planet, one that we cannot reach."
Everyone nodded, thinking that this was very likely.
As the Ranked Match progress, planets that advance each time reach a certain score can move to a higher zone and will no longer be ranked alongside ordinary planets.
The second possibility is significantly higher than the first.
Players in higher-level areas are stronger, so it's normal for them to trigger the entire new game system.
Upon receiving this answer, everyone breathed a sigh of relief; the high-altitude planets had no connection to their interests.
In other words, this Blue Star will not become their competitor.
Therefore, for them, the player named Jiu Chen triggering the new system is definitely a good thing.
"Alright, everyone, don't worry, you can all go home now."
Everyone dispersed, leaving only an old man sitting there with his eyes downcast and motionless.
Seeing this, the last player who was about to leave turned back and asked.
"Old Li, why aren't you leaving?"
Upon hearing this, Old Li raised his eyelids slightly, his voice hoarse.
"There's another possibility."
"Ah?"
The man paused for a moment, then suddenly realized that Old Li was referring to the topic from earlier.
Thinking about this, he asked curiously.
Which possibility is correct?
Old Li remained silent for a moment before slowly speaking.
"That server called Blue Star hasn't been released for Ranked Match yet."