Top of the Rankings, Lantern Guardian

Chapter 40: Top of the Rankings, Lantern Guardian

The Land Shrine's back door was narrow. Four people could not walk through side by side. They could only enter one after another. This path was more cramped than any stretch before it. At its widest, it only allowed two people to squeeze past sideways. At its narrowest, they even had to press themselves against the walls. Little Demons were chasing them from behind, while the Incense Lamp had only two inches of flame left. Every extra sway made their hearts tighten. Before the spectator screens, those who had been shouting for them to charge had all fallen silent.

At this point, everyone could see that the first clear was right ahead. But the closer they got, the easier it was for something to go wrong. Tang San led the way. His wooden staff had already cracked, and his health bar was down to half. Without looking back, he gave only the shortest instructions.

"Stone on the left, open on the right."

Xiao Wu was second.

She was responsible for kicking back the Little Demons that got too close, but she could not kick them too far. Every strike held back a fraction of her strength, because Ning Rongrong and the lamp were behind her. Ning Rongrong was third. She hugged the lamp close, barely daring to blink. Ma Hongjun brought up the rear. Usually, everyone feared it most when his temper flared. Yet on this final stretch, they had to rely on him to guard their rear. Ma Hongjun knew it himself.

He always bragged about how fierce his firepower was. But on this narrow path, powerful fire became a problem instead. If he burned too fiercely, he would set the door on fire. If he aimed wrong, the lamp would sway. If he burned too slowly, the Little Demons behind them would pounce. His forehead was covered in sweat. Not from exhaustion, but from restraint. Fire churned in his palm like a wild beast tied down with a rope. Breath-Calming Pure Flame suppressed it, and he suppressed himself as well. A Little Demon lunged from behind. Flames rose in Ma Hongjun's palm, only to be forcibly pressed down again.

The flames rolled across the ground like a low wall, forcing back the Little Demons without burning the door or touching the lamp. Before the spectator screen, Yan stared at that blaze, his expression turning serious for the first time. The same fire—he understood it. What made that move difficult was not its power, but restraining it from becoming too powerful. For a Fire type soul master, that was sometimes harder than unleashing an explosion. Yan grew quieter the longer he watched.

He had always looked down on Ma Hongjun to some extent. His Evil Fire was unstable, his flames crude, and he talked too much. Yet on this narrow path, Ma Hongjun had forcibly suppressed that restless fire inch by inch. It was ugly. It was exhausting. But he had held it down. Yan suddenly thought of his Heart Furnace Fragment. Wasn't Crimson Tide Breath Fire also reminding him that bigger flames were not always better? He felt irritated, because he realized that he had actually seen something worth learning from Ma Hongjun. The final stretch inside the shrine appeared. The Incense Lamp had only an inch and a half of flame remaining.

The offering table was right ahead. Tang San had just taken a step when a Little Demon suddenly dropped from the beam to the right and pounced straight at Ning Rongrong. Xiao Wu was caught for an instant by loose stones. Ma Hongjun was behind them, and his fire could not get around. Tang San turned back half a beat too late. Ning Rongrong saw it. She did not scream. Nor did she close her eyes. She pulled the lamp into her arms and ducked low to the left.

The claws grazed her shoulder. Her health bar dropped by a chunk. The lamp did not go out, nor did it slip from her hands. Everyone in the shop let out a breath of relief. Ning Fengzhi's hand was already gripping the edge of the table. In that instant, he had nearly forgotten this was a game. Chen Xin also looked toward the screen. His gaze was calm, but those who knew him understood that if this had not been a game, that Little Demon would already have been shattered. Ning Rongrong did not turn back to look at anyone. She only looked at the offering table.

Only a few steps remained.

She could not fall.

The next instant, Xiao Wu kicked the Little Demon in the back. Tang San followed up with his wooden staff. Ma Hongjun's fire sealed off its retreat from the ground. The four of them did not waste a single word. Hugging the lamp, Ning Rongrong hurried to the offering table. Firelight descended. The Land Shrine's offering table lit up. In the direction of the Old Incense Storehouse, the shadows of six ruined lamps appeared at the edge of the screen. In that instant, the Old Road of Black Wind Mountain on the screen seemed to go still.

The wind stopped for half a breath.

The grass did not move.

Even the black shadows pursuing them were held outside the door by the firelight. The flame atop the offering table rose little by little. From an inch and a half to two inches. Then to three. Finally, it settled firmly in place. Only then did the system prompt appear.

[Multiplayer Joint Trial: Old Road of Black Wind Mountain, completed.]

[Team evaluation: successful lamp guarding.]

[Hidden evaluation: old incense unbroken, achieved.]

[First team to complete: Tang San, Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, Ma Hongjun.]

[First-clear record added to the Team Evaluation Rankings.]

[Top of the rankings: Shrek Temporary Cooperative Advance Team.]

[Team designation: Lantern Guardian.]

[Notice: this designation is only used for in-store team evaluation display and has no real combat effect.]

The shop went quiet for an instant. Then it exploded. This was no ordinary uproar. Everyone had held their breath through the entire route, and it all burst out at once. Zhou Ping stood by the counter, crumpling the Review Paper in his hand. People from Elephant Armor Academy pounded the tables and shouted. A teacher from Canghui Academy stared at the words "Team Evaluation Rankings," his eyes shining.

The low-ranking Spirit Hall deacon immediately lowered his head to take notes. Lin Chuan glanced at him. The deacon's hand stiffened. Lin Chuan said, "You can record public prompts." Only then did the deacon continue writing. Ma Hongjun took off his Synchronized Headband and sprang up from his chair.

"We did it! We did it!"

Then he saw the words at the top of the rankings, and his voice rose even louder.

"Top of the rankings! Did you see that? Top of the rankings!"

Yan gave a cold snort.

But this time, he did not immediately retort. He had seen it clearly. Shrek had not made it through because Tang San dragged everyone forward alone. They had truly protected the lamp all the way through. Xiao Wu smiled, but she looked at Ning Rongrong first. Ning Rongrong's hands were still held in the posture of hugging the lamp, her fingertips white. Only after a long while did she come back to herself.

"I almost dropped the lamp just now."

Tang San shook his head.

"You protected it."

Xiao Wu nodded too.

"If I'd been the one carrying the lamp at the end, I might really have dropped it."

Ma Hongjun immediately said, "I definitely would have dropped it if it were me." Their words made Ning Rongrong's eyes sting.

"Are you trying to comfort me?"

Xiao Wu smiled.

"No. It's the truth."

Ma Hongjun raised a hand.

"I never lie about things like this."

Oscar spoke faintly from behind them.

"So you lie about other things?"

Ma Hongjun turned around.

"Shut up."

The Shrek group started bickering, and Ning Rongrong smiled instead. The lingering fear finally faded a little. Grandmaster stood behind them without speaking for a long time. Tang San had not greedily chased kills. Xiao Wu had not greedily pursued enemies. Ma Hongjun had not greedily unleashed his fire. Ning Rongrong had not treated herself as someone who could only be protected. That mattered more than clearing the stage. Ning Fengzhi watched his daughter, and his gaze gradually softened.

Of course, he wanted Ning Rongrong to always be protected somewhere safe. But he knew even better that safety could never depend solely on what others gave her. Chen Xin said quietly, "Rongrong has grown up." Ning Fengzhi nodded gently. On the other side, Yue Guan looked toward the Golden Generation. Hu Liena studied Ning Rongrong's positioning. Xie Yue studied Tang San's route. Yan studied the times Ma Hongjun had restrained his fire. None of the three spoke, but their gazes had changed. This was not a display of individual talent. This was a team. And what Spirit Hall lacked least was teams.

Yue Guan did not urge them. He knew there was no need to say much at a time like this. Hu Liena would think it through. Xie Yue would think it through. Even if Yan was stubborn, he would think it through. What Shrek had demonstrated in this stage was not simply that they were stronger. They had shown everyone how four people stripped of their soul skills could clear a stage through positioning, review, fire control, and callouts.

Spirit Hall could certainly learn such things. And they had to. System panels popped up one after another before Lin Chuan's eyes.

[Complete Multiplayer Co-op evaluation achieved.]

[Team Evaluation Rankings unlocked.]

[Cooperative Advance Review Panel unlocked.]

[Strategy Board function officially unlocked.]

[First-clear team receives: one Cooperative Advance Review Priority Panel.]

[Explanation: limited to in-store review use only. Cannot be taken outside and does not generate real abilities.]

[Preview of the second Cooperative Advance content: Yellow Wind Ridge Approach.]

[Detected players in the shop capable of forming a second complete Cooperative Advance team.]

[Enable: simultaneous two-team speedrun reservation?]

Lin Chuan raised a brow at the last line. This system really knew how to pick its timing. Shrek had just reached the rankings, and Spirit Hall's Golden Generation was in the shop. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect members were also watching the Strategy Board. If two teams entered at once, reviews, strategies, rankings, reward ownership—every single matter could start an argument. Yue Guan seemed to sense something and asked with a smile:

"Boss Lin, is there something new again?"

Ning Fengzhi also looked over. Grandmaster had yet to put down his pen. Lin Chuan finished reading the system prompt without immediately agreeing. He picked up a new wooden plaque and wrote several words on it at the counter. Two-team Cooperative Advance speedrun reservation, rules pending. He hung the plaque on the wall. Everyone in the shop changed expression. Yue Guan looked at Hu Liena. Hu Liena said nothing, merely drawing her gaze away from Ning Rongrong and onto the plaque. Xie Yue was already breaking down possible routes in his mind. Yan stared at the word "speedrun," his fingers clenching tight.

Ning Fengzhi glanced at the two Seven Treasure disciples behind him. They were looking at the plaque too. This time, there was no fear in their eyes. They wanted to try. The female disciple clutched a charcoal pencil and asked softly:

"Sect Master, if the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect can form a team in the future..."

Ning Fengzhi did not answer immediately. He looked at the word "speedrun" on the plaque.

"First learn to protect your own people."

The female disciple nodded.

Chen Xin said mildly:

"Then learn to win."

The female disciple's eyes lit up at those words. Protect first. Then win. That was the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's first lesson at Grand Dao Internet Cafe. Shrek's first clear was not the end. From this point on, what people would compete over at Grand Dao Internet Cafe was not merely how far one person could go. They would also see how much a team could protect. Yellow wind swept across the spectator screen. A new path lit up. Lin Chuan looked at that yellow wind and reached out to flip the time plaque to the next slot.

"Next."

His voice was not loud.

But no one moved.

Everyone was still staring at the speedrun plaque. Only after a long while did Zhou Ping suddenly come back to himself.

"M-Me?"

Lin Chuan nodded.

"You."

Zhou Ping sat down clutching his three Review Papers. He knew he was far behind Shrek, the Golden Generation, and the Seven Treasure disciples. But that was all right. When the screens at Grand Dao Internet Cafe lit up, everyone had to begin with the first Little Demon. This time, he wanted to go a few steps farther. Even one more step would count as a win.