"Why are there so many players?"
As Zhou Heng approached Deepwater Cave, he noticed a massive number of players heading toward it.
Even the weakest were level 5, while the stronger ones had already reached level 10, just like him.
Of course, those were all new players. The veteran players whose beginner protection periods had ended were even more outrageous, with crowds of level 20, 30, and 40 players.
Zhou Heng frowned slightly and cautiously blended into the crowd.
"They're about to pull the boss. I'm getting a little nervous!"
"What the hell are you scared of? It's just a level 10 Deepwater Flood Dragon Worm. With the guys from the Black Bear Guild holding the front line, we just need to farm some contribution."
"Say, do you think this Deepwater Flood Dragon Worm really looks like the textbooks say, with a flood dragon's head and a maggot's body?"
"Who am I supposed to ask? We've all only been here for five days."
"Look, it's Guild Leader Black Bear Ba and Guild Leader Yang Kai."
Someone called out quietly. Zhou Heng looked toward the voice and saw Black Bear Ba standing behind a young man in white sportswear as they strode up to Deepwater Cave.
Not only that, Zhou Heng also spotted a "familiar face" among the Black Bear Guild members: the Longevity Family Girl he had killed twice.
"Look, it's a Longevity Family player!"
"So that's the golden lotus on her forehead? It's even more mysterious and elegant than the textbooks described."
"I heard this Longevity player got killed twice in a row. I wonder who was badass enough to dare kill even a Longevity player."
"Who knows? Either way, they must be another ruthless early-game player."
Led by Yang Kai, the young man in white sportswear, the Black Bear Guild party approached Deepwater Cave.
Looking at the dark, deep-water hole that had abruptly appeared on the Wind Grassland, Yang Kai beckoned to Black Bear Ba, his face expressionless.
Black Bear Ba understood and looked toward the Black Bear Guild members surrounding them.
The next second, massive quantities of Blackwater Pus Gel refined from Blackwater Grass were poured in.
The instant the Blackwater Pus Gel touched the water in Deepwater Cave, it seemed to undergo some violent reaction with the water, which began bubbling like boiling water.
Once all the Blackwater Pus Gel had been poured into Deepwater Cave, Black Bear Ba turned to the Longevity Family Girl beside him and nodded.
Without a change in expression, the Longevity Family Girl took a reagent bottle containing a deep green, yellow-tinged substance from her backpack, opened it, and poured the pus-green, yellow-tinged liquid into Deepwater Cave.
"Roar!"
The instant the pus-green, yellow-tinged liquid touched the water in Deepwater Cave, a deafening roar erupted underwater. A second later, a gigantic white creature burst out of Deepwater Cave.
With a heavy thud, the gigantic white creature landed hard on the Wind Grassland.
It was a bizarre creature with a blue-green flood dragon's head and a white maggot's body.
Clearly, this was Deepwater Cave's level 10 boss, the Deepwater Flood Dragon Worm.
At that moment, the Deepwater Flood Dragon Worm's eyes were blood-red, and Blackwater Pus Gel clung to its white body. As it roared at Zhou Heng and the others, it thrashed wildly, trying to shake the Blackwater Pus Gel off its body.
But the more it struggled, the tighter the Blackwater Pus Gel clung. Like a living thing, it kept spreading across the Deepwater Flood Dragon Worm's body with every twist.
Zhou Heng guessed that once the Blackwater Pus Gel covered its entire body, the Deepwater Flood Dragon Worm would undergo Corruption.
But why did the Black Bear Guild want to blacken a minor boss that was only level 10, and what role did the Sword of Light play in all this?
Previously, Zhou Heng had not given much thought to the reasons behind it because he had been on the Sword of Light's side, working for them.
Now, however, he was examining it as a third party-an observer.
There were still many questions that a new player like him, who had only been here for five days, could not understand.
Just as Zhou Heng was considering whether to advance or retreat, Fate Hint activated.
[True darkness is about to descend. As a new player, you have never been able to control your own fate, especially this year, ten thousand years after Boundless Endless launched.] [Fate offers you hints.] [Fate Hint 1: Leave the Wind Grassland and get as far away as possible. A level 50 battlefield may offer plenty of spoils, but the danger outweighs the rewards.] [Fate Hint 2: Fortune favors the bold. If you wish to avoid countless obstacles and restrictions in the future, your only chance is to seize a sliver of hope and gamble on a great future. Hide in plain sight among the players, wait for your opportunity, and farm the Sakast Imperial Sword's attributes like mad while both sides fight fiercely.]
Run?
The word "run" did not exist in Zhou Heng's dictionary.
If it had, he would not have sacrificed himself to save a child he did not know in his previous life.
So he chose to take the gamble.
As long as he could raise the Sakast Imperial Sword's attributes, he would dare challenge not just players and NPCs above level 10, but even those above level 20.
Having received the Fate Hints, Zhou Heng lowered his head slightly and cautiously followed the army of players.
At that moment, the Blackwater Pus Gel completely covered the Deepwater Flood Dragon Worm, dyeing its white body and green head entirely black.
[Level 10 boss Deepwater Flood Dragon Worm has undergone Corruption.] [Evolved to level 30.] [You have received the Little Bird Town Guardian Quest.] [Quest description: For unknown reasons, the Deepwater Flood Dragon Worm has undergone Corruption and is about to devour all of Little Bird Town. All Little Bird Town players, gather your strength and slay the Blackwater Flood Dragon Worm.] [Quest duration: Until Little Bird Town is destroyed.] [Quest reward: Based on contribution.]
It was not just Zhou Heng. The Little Bird Town Guardian Quest appeared before every player's eyes.
At that moment, Black Bear Ba raised his arm and shouted.
"Brothers, our chance to slay the Blackwater Flood Dragon Worm and claim the first victory is here!"
"Relax, don't be afraid. Our Black Bear Guild has your backs. We'll make sure none of your lives are in danger."
As he spoke, Black Bear Ba activated the group skill Might of the Black Bear.
[You are affected by the Black Bear Guild's Black Bear Ba's skill, Might of the Black Bear.] [Health +50 (temporary)] [MP +50 (temporary)] [Attack +3 (temporary)] [Magic +3 (temporary)]
"Haha, just what you'd expect from the Black Bear Guild's leader! That group buff is awesome! Brothers, charge! It's time to farm contribution!"
"Let me at it! My attack is a whopping 15. I'll definitely make the top 1%."
"Give me a break. You dare embarrass yourself with just 15 attack? Mine is a whopping 23."
Watching the mass of players charging forward, Zhou Heng felt a chill run down his spine for some reason.
Instinctively, he looked at the Deepwater Flood Dragon Worm (Blackened) and activated his starting skill, Appraisal.
At the same time, the Sakast Imperial Sword at his waist trembled slightly.
[With the Sakast Imperial Sword's enhancement, you have obtained all of the target's information.]
In an instant, all the information on the Deepwater Flood Dragon Worm (Blackened) appeared before Zhou Heng's eyes.
At the sight, Zhou Heng's eyes filled with horror. The Black Bear Guild-how dared they...
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