Chapter 81: Zombie Siege (Part Three)

Chapter 81: Zombie Siege (Part Three)

"Awesome, bro! This Earth Shark was a level-five zombie, capable of annihilating an entire base in the past!"

"Yue——"

"Brother Xie, you're truly remarkable. Without you, we would have been dead in the jaws of this level-five zombie by now!"

"Yue——"

"Brother Xie? Are you okay?"

Xie Fangcheng waved his hand, continuing to utter, "yue" as he did.

Nie Shuangshuang spoke, exasperated, "Are you okay or not? So you've had a close encounter with a zombie's mouth, so what? In my case, I wouldn't hesitate to kiss it directly in a moment of crisis!"

Xie Fangcheng, who had straightened up and stopped making that sound, suddenly turned pale imagining the scenario described by Nie Shuangshuang.

"Yueee——"

An irritated Nie Shuangshuang said, "Why are you making that sound? Isn't this quite normal?? Huh? Which player hasn't experienced a situation like this? Which player can't handle it??"

As she spoke, she sought agreement from her companions with her eyes.

Tao Youyuan chimed in awkwardly and guiltily, "I haven't been through this as many times... but I suppose it should be fine?"

Nie Shuangshuang then turned her gaze towards Wei Yuan.

Wei Yuan had a serious expression on his face, "Getting inside the mouth is fine, but kissing is where I draw the line."

Tao Youyuan quickly added, "Yeah, yeah, I can't do that either, not at all."

"Damn!" Nie Shuangshuang scorned, "You three still dare to call yourselves veteran players? You can't even handle this?"

Wei Yuan remained speechless, "Sis, do you really think everyone can be as... bold as you?"

At that moment, Yi Zeinan, who had been inside the car all along, finally cautiously opened the door and peeked out.

"How is it going?"

Though he might be arrogant, he attributed that to his supposedly unbeatable stratagems and not to an invincible physical prowess. He wasn't delusional, after all.

Outside, there was a raging battle... well, not exactly bustling, just a mix of clanging and groaning noises. Yi Zeinan had prudently stayed inside the reinforced vehicle, knowing that with his power level, venturing out would be akin to offering himself up on a platter.

Now that the sounds of battle had ceased, Yi Zeinan finally began to tentatively scout the surroundings.

He then froze momentarily.

A massive, pitch-black fissure had opened up on the ground, visibly around three to four meters wide. Nie Shuangshuang and Xie Fangcheng stood on one side, with Wei Yuan and Tao Youyuan on the other.

Nie Shuangshuang and the others seemed quite alright, their garments still in decent condition.

But the strongest among them... that one, erm...

Yi Zeinan's expression became somewhat indescribable in a flash.

Xie Fangcheng pinched his Han clothing cape with two fingers, holding his breath as he took it off and tossed it away.

Nie Shuangshuang glared at him, "What's wrong with you?! That was a rare item!"

Though it was damaged, it still had alluring properties! It could fetch at least five hundred thousand points on the market!

He threw it away as if it was mere trash!

Did he even realize how valuable that cape was?!

Nie Shuangshuang rushed over and crouched down. Then... she pinched the cape with two fingers, holding her breath as she hastily stuffed it back into her system backpack.

Items in the system backpack would return to their original state once taken out, a feature some players affectionately termed as "automatic dry cleaning".

While making a strange face, Xie Fangcheng still whimpered, "You're just going to put it in your backpack like that? Won't it mix with the other scents?"

Nie Shuangshuang looked at him, speechless, "Do you think the system backpack is like a refrigerator?? Mixing scents??"

Nie Shuangshuang turned her head and said, "Is there any water in the car? Rinse him off; the smell is unbearable! If he doesn't clean up well, we'll all end up smelling like that!"

Indeed, there were two buckets of water in the trunk, Nie Shuangshuang rummaged through her system backpack for a while before pulling out a somewhat odd-looking dark green cloak.

"What's this?"

Before Xie Fangcheng could ask, Wei Yuan widened his eyes in surprise, "A wizard's robe? Is it a limited edition from the system?? The one that costs two hundred thousand points a set?"

Nie Shuangshuang nodded modestly.

"Quite the wealthy individual."

Even Tao Youyuan couldn't help but remark with a sigh.

The items sold in the system store weren't particularly renowned for their great attributes. Items like suits and robes served a single purpose - being official products of the system, they could be stored in the system backpack.

Even this single outfit wasn't exactly cheap.

But every once in a while, the system store would launch new limited-edition clothing lines.

These clothes bore no special attributes yet boasted exorbitant prices, selling out instantly with each release.

Tao Youyuan, coming from a less privileged background, couldn't comprehend the appeal.

But their former guild leader would snag them each time they were available.

— These limited-edition pieces follow a simple rule: buy early and enjoy, or buy late and plead in tears, especially the co-branded ones... well, perhaps co-branded isn't the right term since there's no copyright involved. But in this wretched game, we never know when we might die, so shouldn't we indulge in things we like?

On the other side, Xie Fangcheng was still curious, "What wizard's robe?"

Nie Shuangshuang looked even more astonished, "It's the Slytherin uniform! Haven't you seen it before?"

"Slytherin? Uniform?" Xie Fangcheng was utterly clueless.

Even Tao Youyuan was surprised, "Harry Potter, haven't you watched that hugely popular film?"

Xie Fangcheng shook his head honestly, "No."

"You haven't watched Harry Potter but know that Produce 101 has ten debut slots," Nie Shuangshuang sighed and shook her head, "Clearly a newbie, this is a generational gap indeed!"

Xie Fangcheng could only offer a wry smile, reaching out to take the robe.

Nie Shuangshuang could easily lend her five hundred thousand points worth cloak, yet seemed quite reluctant to part with this attribute-less wizard's robe.

"I am only lending this to you because I have nothing else in my system backpack that would fit you. You must take good care of it," Nie Shuangshuang emphasized seriously, "If it incurs any damage, I will not hesitate to settle scores with you once we exit this instance."

Normally, Nie Shuangshuang was brash and impulsive, both as a person and in her abilities.

Now, as she advised him solemnly, her demeanor was surprisingly calm. However, Xie Fangcheng felt an intense murderous intent emanating from her.

He nodded hurriedly, "Yes, yes, certainly, rest assured."

Only then did Nie Shuangshuang reluctantly let go of her grip.

With a flick of Wei Yuan's wrist, a square shower room rose from the ground. After Xie Fangcheng cleaned himself up and changed into the wizard robe, everyone returned to the vehicle.

Inside the vehicle, Yi Zhenan had his brows furrowed, fixedly staring at Xie Fangcheng who was seated in the front passenger seat. After enduring for what felt like a long time, he finally spoke up.

"You all were far too careless earlier! Is there really time to shower and change clothes in such a perilous instance? Since you all are determined to eliminate all the zombies, our time is quite tight! Can we avoid engaging in such meaningless activities?"

"Meaningless?" Nie Shuangshuang echoed.

Yi Zhenan's expression was cold: "Isn't it?"

Holding the steering wheel with one hand, Nie Shuangshuang swiftly pulled out the Han-style cloak with her other hand and flung it onto his face.

Xie Fangcheng and Wei Yuan had already anticipated this girl's boldness. They very wisely shifted — one leaning forward, the other to the left, holding their breaths and focusing their energies.

The stench of decaying zombie flesh and a saliva-like smell instantly pervaded the entire car.

Sitting at the far right of the back seat, Yi Zhenan was caught off guard as darkness enveloped his vision, followed by a sticky sensation and a bone-penetrating odor.

"Damn it!" Tao Youyuan, sitting in the middle of the back seat, had his right arm brushed by the cloak. He twisted frantically, as if set ablaze, striving to escape the reach of the Han-style cloak.

Yi Zhenan, his fingers trembling, removed the cloak from his face.

Even looking through the rear-view mirror, Xie Fangcheng felt somewhat sympathetic.

Despite being swallowed by a zombie at a rapid pace, Xie Fangcheng's body remained relatively clean, with his face and head untouched by any strange substances. However, the cloak was thoroughly smeared with all sorts of undesirables.

Now smeared across Yi Zhenan's face, the previously composed and self-assured man was now rigid, his calm facade barely lasting a few seconds before he abruptly opened the window.

"Eurgh!!!"

.

The vehicle smoothly entered sector 13-7, once a bustling city at its zenith.

During the pinnacle of human civilization, it boasted convenient transportation with asphalt roads stretching in all directions and towering skyscrapers rising one after another.

Now, after enduring the apocalypse for two hundred and thirty years, though the grand structures had fallen, one could still glimpse traces of its former glory amidst the remnants.

Low-level zombies roamed outside the city as the vehicle charged straight in.

Yi Zhenan, who prided himself on unbeatable strategizing, was now on the verge of fainting, sitting silently in his seat.

Tao Youyuan glanced at him before taking over the responsibility of devising the plan.

"The mission is to eliminate one level-five zombie and seven level-four zombies near the Smiling Building. The level-five zombie is rumored to be a 'Green Steel', a creature the size of a normal human but with a poisonous green hue. Although the Earth Shark is bulky and powerful, it's slow-moving, while the Green Steel is incredibly fast. Any thoughts, everyone?"

Wei Yuan turned to Xie Fangcheng.

Xie Fangcheng's flaw was all too apparent. Even if he had only fought zombies around the base yesterday, his slow speed was clearly evident.

"Brother, your speed probably isn't sufficient to catch up with Qing Gang, right?"

Jie Fangcheng nodded, "Yes."

Tao Youyuan quickly added, "Sister Shuang's strategy from yesterday doesn't work too well in this city. There are many buildings around and a lot of zombies are inside them. It's not certain that Qing Gang would be outside."

"Mm," Jie Fangcheng drew out his staff.

Wei Yuan was startled, "Brother, do you have a plan up your sleeve?"

Meanwhile, Nie Shuangshuang was already gearing up.

Jie Fangcheng nodded, "Let's start dismantling then."

As he said this, his peripheral vision caught some zombies sensing the presence of the living, and they started moving towards them.

Without another word, Jie Fangcheng charged out. The outside was instantly filled with a continuous "bang bang bang" sound, with zombies scattering in all directions, resembling a display of fireworks.

"?? Dismantle? Dismantle what??" Wei Yuan was bewildered, grabbing Nie Shuangshuang's wrist just as she was about to exit the vehicle, "What is he planning to dismantle??"

Nie Shuangshuang grinned beautifully, "Silly, demolition of course!"

Having said that, she too rushed out of the vehicle.

The three people inside the car exchanged puzzled glances.

"What did she just say?"

Yi Zednan had already realized, his eyes widened, "Don't tell me Jie Fangcheng plans to demolish all the buildings in the zombie city? How is that possible?"

If Jie Fangcheng had heard this, he would have retorted, "Why would it be impossible?"

In reality, he was already swinging his staff, knocking down the oblivious creatures around him.

Since the vicinity was swarming with zombies and he didn't have to worry about collapsing the ground, Jie Fangcheng was quite decisive, using force in his steps to leap forward.

Nie Shuangshuang could only feel the ground seemingly shake, followed by the formation of a half-meter diameter circular crater around Jie Fangcheng, resembling the aftermath of a cannonball impact.

With a "boom", leveraging the power of that step, Jie Fangcheng shot forward with an increased velocity, resembling a strangely shaped human torpedo from behind.

"Damn!" Nie Shuangshuang knew he was powerful, but she hadn't expected him to be even more formidable than she imagined!

...She also hadn't expected that despite such strong reactive forces, his speed was still so slow.

Nie Shuangshuang, graceful as a fiery, nimble butterfly, easily kept pace with him.

"Hey! Isn't your speed too slow?!"

Just by observing the trails left by their "flight", the stark difference between the two was clearly visible.

Nie Shuangshuang was renowned for her speed, her movements graceful and light, yet so swift that not even a fragment of paper on the ground would be stirred, resembling a gentle breeze brushing past.

In contrast, Jie Fangcheng resembled a tornado devastating a parking lot, with the ground cracking open along his path, an impressive display of sparks and lightning.

Jie Fangcheng grumbled, "I'm already speeding up!"

Players would have their physical capabilities enhanced by the system each time they cleared a dungeon. Jie Fangcheng wasn't granted this boost by the system, but after every encounter with dark forces, he could retain some extra energy in his body post-clearing a dungeon.

Yet, this was merely a drop in the bucket, analogous to Nie Shuangshuang having a speed level of 90, Jie Fangcheng could barely attain a level of 10.

"Too slow! You should look for some speed-enhancing items when you go out!" she suggested.

"Huh? Such things exist?"

"Yes!" Nie Shuangshuang hadn't deliberately kept any speed-enhancing items as her innate speed was incredibly fast. Even with significant skill degradation, her speed alone could rank her among the top hundred players.

But that didn't mean she hadn't seen them before.

"I once obtained a pair of acceleration boots, with a special attribute of increasing speed by ten percent! However, given your fundamental speed is quite low, I recommend you look for items with speed skills, probably costing one or two million points!" Nie Shuangshuang advised.

So said Nie Shuangshuang.

After acknowledging her with an "Oh", Jie Fangcheng inquired, "I don't have enough points. Could you lend me some?"

Mention of this infuriated Nie Shuangshuang, "Do you have any idea how much the summoning item you used in the last instance is worth? It costs millions of points on the market!!"

"Wasn't it quite cost-effective though?" he retorted.

The duo continued their casual conversation as they approached the first building.

The building was rather tall, prompting Jie Fangcheng to leap upwards.

In comparison to the towering building, the ascending Jie Fangcheng appeared as insignificant as a tiny ant.

However, the next second, he swung the staff in his hand—

Resulting in a roar akin to an explosive blast.

Yi Zednan initially stood with his arms crossed, wearing a smirk on his face.

Demolish a building?

What did they think they were?

Soon enough, a deafening boom reached his ears.

The building before his eyes... had collapsed.

Countless zombies that had been wandering inside plummeted from the towering height along with the debris, rejuvenating the dark and desolate zombie city.

The enormous noise attracted the attention of numerous zombies. Jie Fangcheng switched back to a combined harvester mode, teaming up with Nie Shuangshuang to clear a circle of zombies before rushing towards the next building.

"This... this..."

Not to mention Yi Zednan, even the widely experienced Wei Yuan was left with his mouth gaping wide open.

"Is it even possible to dismantle a dungeon building like this??" he exclaimed in disbelief.

Wei Yuan was skillful, having executed daring maneuvers in past dungeons, such as activating a skill to tear open the earth, swallowing buildings on the ground directly into it, he had done all these before.

But he had never engulfed a building this tall!

Moreover, looking at Jie Fangcheng's demeanor - swinging his staff twice without slowing down and then dashing towards the second building – it all seemed like he was effortlessly reserving some of his energy.

Just who is this person? Is he even a player? Is he even human??

"Idiot!"

As Wei Yuan was pondering this, he suddenly heard Yi Zednan next to him muttering resentfully in a tone filled with frustration and disappointment.

"They might have enjoyed demolishing, but did they even consider the potential clues within those buildings? Even if there were no clues... just watch!!"

From the collapsed building, a few zombies who had not been crushed to death were stumbling out, swaying unsteadily.

Probably because zombies were once human, the higher-level zombies preferred to stay inside buildings, while the ones wandering the streets were mostly lower-level entities, easy targets even for Yi Zednan.

At this moment, amongst the rubble of the collapsed building, evidently, two considerably stronger zombies had noticed them, rushing over at a speed much faster than the average zombie.

"Can't they think before they act?! What if there were ‘Qing Steel’ in those buildings! Wouldn't the Qing Steel come directly at us after their reckless demolition? They have absolutely no IQ!!"

The next second, the charging zombie stretched its claws directly towards Yi Zednan.

Without a word, Yi Zednan skillfully ducked behind Tao Youyuan.

Tao Youyuan adeptly acted as a shield, protecting the incessantly complaining man behind him.

The incoming zombies were only about level three, well within the capabilities of Wei Yuan and Tao Youyuan to handle.

After quickly eliminating the zombies in their hands, Yi Zednan stepped out from behind Tao Youyuan.

There were still a few scattered weak monsters around, Yi Zednan glanced at them once, then commanded, "Let's go, kill them and catch up with those two fools..."

Before he could finish his sentence, his neck was abruptly seized by someone.

Wei Yuan grabbed him from beside Tao Youyuan and flung him towards an approaching small zombie.

Yi Zednan reacted quickly, swiftly twisting his body and engaging his skills to grapple with the small monster.

This minor zombie was not strong, but Yi Zednan was not powerful enough, making the encounter quite strenuous for him.

Now, while grappling with the zombie, he widened his eyes and yelled, "What are you doing? Tao Youyuan! Hurry up and help me!"

"Have you expressed your gratitude?" Wei Yuan asked.

"What???"

With a stoic expression, Wei Yuan watched him wrestle with the small monster, stretching out his arm to block Tao Youyuan who was about to assist.

"With your level of skill, if not for someone protecting you, you would have been dead already. Have you thanked that person?"

"???" Yi Zednan retorted with a cynical laugh, "Are you sick in the head?"

Wei Yuan glanced at him, retracting his arm that had been barring Tao Youyuan.

He looked in the direction where Jie Fangcheng and Nie Shuangshuang were leaving.

"You think you're quite formidable, don't you? If you're really that great, then don't ask us for help!" Wei Yuan cast a glance at Tao Youyuan, "This kid is so inexperienced, he got into the level three dungeon because you brought him in, right? Has he thanked you?"

Tao Youyuan paused, momentarily stunned.

Due to Yi Zednan's overly sharp mind, although not very strong, Tao Youyuan had always been grooming him as a future pillar of the guild.

The Cozy Cat Climbing Frame was just a mid-level guild ranking towards the end, but it had a great atmosphere. Tao Youyuan had been part of this guild since he started playing the game. Understanding the horrors of the game, he also hoped the guild members could have more support.

Yi Zednan's brilliant mind... would undoubtedly bring them more hope.

Tao Youyuan had always believed so, not minding Yi Zednan's usual attitude, as being the future "big shot", it was only normal to have some temperament and personality.

At this moment, due to his brief hesitation, delaying just a few seconds, Yi Zednan was already cursing in frustration.

"What are you doing, Tao Youyuan? Hurry up and deal with this zombie!!"

Tao Youyuan paused again, momentarily stunned.

He pursed his lips, quietly uttering, "I'm on it."

Even if he had become somewhat disappointed in this young man, he was, after all, someone he had brought along.

He still needed to ensure his safe exit...

In the blink of an eye, just as Tao Youyuan was about to assist, suddenly, Yi Zednan's expression turned into one of sheer horror.

"Behind you!!"

Reacting swiftly, Tao Youyuan rolled to the side, followed by a sharp pain near his ear.

A whooshing sound passed dangerously close to his ear, echoing in his eardrum.

Tao Youyuan's eyes sharpened.

At the spot where he had just been standing, a blue steel needle was embedded in the ground.

Qing Steel!

He abruptly looked up.

Not far away, a zombie with a hunched back, its whole body exhibiting a metallic blue sheen, stood there with its head hanging down.

Its eyes were situated on the top of its head, and a pair of long arms, as if pieced together, dangled to the ground.

The pair of ashen-yellow eyes on the top of its head were fixed intently on Tao Youyuan.

Without another word, Tao Youyuan quickly downed a vial of potion.

The creature was venomous all over, and the needle that had pricked him earlier had already injected poison into his system.

Meanwhile, hearing the commotion, Wei Yuan quickly rushed back.

From a distance, Wei Yuan placed both hands on the ground and shouted loudly.

Instantaneously, a thick wall emerged from the ground, separating Tao Youyuan from the Qing Steel.

"Go! We can't beat it!"

Just as Wei Yuan was about to turn away, his heart suddenly jolted.

He promptly activated a skill; behind him, a slightly thinner wall had just managed to form when a nearly human-height hand smashed directly onto it.

Hearing the noise, Tao Youyuan turned his head, his face instantly turned ashen.

"A 'Giant Hand'... there's another level five?!"

The zombie behind Wei Yuan stood two meters tall, yet its two hands were nearly as large as its own body.

With just a single slap, the wall Wei Yuan erected crumbled with a loud crash.

On Tao Youyuan's end, the thick wall in front of him merely stalled the creature for a moment before sharp blue steel needles quickly pierced through the wall and shot in.

Caught between the attacks of two level-five creatures, Wei Yuan continually erected defensive walls while moving to join up with Tao Youyuan. Once united, he immediately made a decision.

"I can't keep using my skill indefinitely. In a bit, I'll withdraw the walls. You take Yi Zednan and run left! I'll go right!" Wei Yuan rummaged in his system backpack and pulled out a peculiar earth-toned chain, thrusting it into Tao Youyuan's hands.

Seeing this chain, Tao Youyuan was momentarily stunned.

"Gift of the Thick Earth?? You..."

Tao Youyuan couldn't help but be moved.

He had long heard of the various exploits of the Ronghua Guild and knew that they were not like ordinary players when he had teamed up with them in dungeons before.

But he had never imagined that a player would hand over such a rare and famous item to him so readily.

【Item: Gift of the Thick Earth · Rare (Damaged)】

【Introduction: As a friend of the Earth, you are a very special guest.】

【Tip: The generous Earth will grant lavish gifts to its friends, but be wary, for the abundant Earth does not favor the greedy.】

【Function: The Gift of Thick Earth grants the wearer the life of the land, the defense of the land, and the strength of the land. As long as your feet are grounded, you shall be invincible.】

【Special Skill 1: Praise of the Thick Earth (Sealed)】

【Special Skill 2: Budding (Sealed)】

【Unique Attribute: Upon the Thick Earth, I am invincible!】

【Special Warning: This item is damaged, please use with caution.】

This defensively astonishing rare item, which at one point broke into the top ten on the weapon rankings which typically favors more damaging items, was now being unhesitatingly handed over by the current president of the Ronghua Guild.

After Wei Yuan stuffed this weapon, which had accompanied him for a very long time, into Tao Youyuan’s hands, he simply smiled.

"It's already damaged, not as formidable as it once was."

With those words, he gently pushed Tao Youyuan's back.

"Take care!"

After saying that, Wei Yuan's expression became solemn, placing both hands on the ground.

Tao Youyuan clenched his lips tightly, understanding that now was not the time for sentimentality.

Even Yi Zednan remained silent, merely standing beside Tao Youyuan with a hand on his arm, waiting to flee with him once the wall retracted.

Wei Yuan took a deep breath.

The thick earth wall isolated their senses from the outside, yet Wei Yuan could faintly feel from the vibrations in the wall that the two level-five zombies seemed to be pressing against it, trying hard to break through.

For some unknown reason, one seemed to have tired, leaning against the wall for a rest, while the other was still relentlessly attempting to break through the barrier.

No matter!

The pincer attack of two level-five zombies was clearly not something the three of them could withstand.

Saving even one person counts as a victory!

Wei Yuan fervently mobilized his skill.

"Rise!!"

The layers of earth walls in front and behind thickened once again, becoming even more solid and robust.

However, the walls on the sides crumbled instantly like mud, revealing gaps wide enough for the people inside to pass through.

At the same time, it unveiled the... flames outside???

The sound of "clang clang" emanated from the wall on the "Qing Steel" side, along with the voice of Nie Shuangshuang that seemed to be coming from directly overhead.

"... Seriously! I've always said that Wei Yuan's nickname shouldn't be 'Massive Rock', it should be 'Iron Turtle'! Is this wall he built not exceedingly thick?? ...Eh?"

Nie Shuangshuang swiftly dangled upside down from the opening above Wei Yuan, her face inverted, as she looked at him.

"What are you doing?? Get out there and fight the monsters!"

Wei Yuan, who had prepared himself for the worst: "..."

Wei Yuan: "...Where are 'Giant Hand' and 'Qing Steel'?"

The "clang clang" noises ceased, and soon, another face appeared, dangling upside down from above.

Xie Fangcheng looked at him: "I've heard, you're quite powerful."

Manager Xie warned: "Don't slack off in front of me; I have a wealth of experience in detecting it!"

Working overtime isn't scary, what's scary is working overtime while your colleagues have already left work.

This distressing sensation was directly doubled for Xie Fangcheng.

Wei Yuan: "..."

On the other side, Tao Youyuan, who had just been moved to the point of reddening eyes, now wore a face of speechlessness and confusion: "Weren't you two off to dismantle a building? How come you're back?"

Xie Fangcheng smiled: "Dismantling a building is one thing, but it's also important to watch our backs. I've learned my lesson from not doing that in the past!"

Nie Shuangshuang abruptly looked up at him.

This guy...

He seemed indifferent during the last mission, but unexpectedly... he does care after all.

Tao Youyuan, moved, declared: "I'm on it! My skills might be average, but leave these minor monsters to me!"

Just as he was about to step out from the defensive wall that Wei Yuan had constructed, frequently described by Nie Shuangshuang as a "turtle shell", Wei Yuan stopped him first.

"Wait."

Tao Youyuan turned around: "What is it, Brother Wei?"

This time, calling him "Brother Wei" came from genuine respect and willingness.

Meeting his admiring gaze, Wei Yuan coughed lightly, clearing his throat.

"The Gift of Thick Earth..."

"Oh, oh, oh." Realizing what he meant, Tao Youyuan immediately offered back the Gift of Thick Earth with both hands.

At a glance, Nie Shuangshuang knew exactly what had transpired moments ago.

This Wei Yuan really is...

Yet she couldn't help but tease him, "Look at you, being all stingy, treating a broken, 'damaged' chain like a treasure. Not only did you give it away, you even want it back, tsk tsk, this isn't like you, 'Massive Rock' Wei Yuan."

Wei Yuan was truly at his wits' end.

This was not just an ordinary item. Before it was damaged, the "Gift of Thick Earth" was his most formidable weapon; to say it constituted his entire worth and existence wouldn't be an exaggeration.

Wei Yuan couldn't hold back a retort, "Why don't you give away your 'Phoenix Feather' then!"

The "Phoenix Feather" was once Nie Shuangshuang's strongest weapon, a pair of oddly designed twin blades. She wasn't particularly lucky; though she had acquired many items, some quite rare, their potency was mostly mediocre.

The "Phoenix Feather" wasn't particularly powerful, consistently ranking low in the annual item rankings, yet it remained Nie Shuangshuang's strongest weapon.

After the "Heart of Flame" went out, the abilities of the "Phoenix Feather" could no longer be activated, greatly reducing its power, so she rarely used it afterward.

But not using it didn't mean she had no attachment to the weapon.

To her, these twin blades bore witness to her numerous narrow escapes from death, and were not something she could easily part with.

But unwilling to lose face, Nie Shuangshuang didn't hesitate and reached into her system backpack.

A pair of fiery red blades, which emitted a soft glow even in the pitch-black night, appeared in her hands.

Nie Shuangshuang swiftly shoved the twin blades into Xie Fangcheng's hands.

"They are yours now!"

"Eh?" Xie Fangcheng was currently holding a gun in his left hand and a stick in his right, dressed in a dark green Serpent Academy uniform, looking quite mismatched.

Now being handed a pair of blades, he looked down and, without noticing the large batch of skills and descriptions, his eyes brightened.

"Oh? Self-cleaning!"

Without any reservations, Xie Fangcheng promptly stashed his stick and gun into his bag.

"Thanks,"

He said.

Nie Shuangshuang had handed him the twin blades thinking that since Xie Fangcheng was so fond of that shoddy stick, he probably was more accustomed to using it.

Even after acquiring the gun, his usage mostly resembled that of wielding a stick, demonstrating fierce and powerful maneuvers.

But twin blades are nothing like a stick!

Surely, he wouldn't like the blades and would decline the offer!

However, at this moment, Xie Fangcheng, having received the new weapon, effortlessly swung them a couple of times, displaying a vigorous and authentic mastery, clearly having some knowledge in handling twin blades.

"It's a bit light though," Jie Fangcheng commented further.

Damn it!!

Nie Shuangshuang felt as if her heart was bleeding, but seeing Wei Yuan's face, which was anticipating a good show, she simply stood with her hands folded behind her back, maintaining a composed demeanor.

"Oh? Is that so? If you don't like it, give it back to me."

This kid can understand, right?

He must understand, right?!!!

Jie Fangcheng leapt down from the "turtle shell," brandishing the blade and slashing a zombie below. The blade in his hand seemed even more agile than the stick he was using before.

"I'll make do with it," Jie Fangcheng sighed.

Nie Shuangshuang: "..."

Nie Shuangshuang shouted furiously, "I will kill you aaaaaahhhh!!!"

With that, she too jumped down, charging at a zombie not far away.

Jie Fangcheng was taken aback, "My word, this lady has quite a temper!"

Wei Yuan observed from afar, "Indeed."

They were chatting idly here, and Yi Zenan, learning his lesson from earlier, was less vocal, but couldn't help but interject, "Haven't any of you noticed something amiss? Why are there so many level-five zombies roaming around here? Doesn't this situation warrant some deep reflection?"

Jie Fangcheng, who had been carrying a gun and a stick, now slung the blade over his shoulder after slashing the zombie.

He turned his head, the flame-like glimmers on the blade illuminating half of his face.

Jie Fangcheng spoke impatiently, "Just spit it out, if you can't make a point, I might as well slash you along with them."

Yi Zenan: "..."

Yi Zenan, restraining himself further, said, "I believe, there must be something nearby attracting the zombies."

"Oh, what kind of thing? Where is it?"

"How would I know?!" Yi Zenan, typically arrogant, couldn't help but snap, "You people were so eager that you even demolished the building! How am I supposed to find clues at a time like this?? Can you consult me before acting rashly next time? Can you not just rush in mindlessly?"

"You are not up to the mark, huh, even though you claim to be a strategist?" Jie Fangcheng looked at Tao Youyuan very sincerely, "I know someone who is quite capable, far smarter than him. The person can find clues and figure out how to clear levels with just one glance. I'll introduce you two after we return. You need to broaden your horizons, don't just assume everyone is competent, that's not okay!"

His tone almost treated Tao Youyuan like a confused septuagenarian, with Yi Zenan being likened to a swindler selling health products.

Yi Zenan had always been confident in his intelligence. He accepted that he might not be as physically strong as others at the moment, but no one had ever accused him of being less intelligent.

Being looked down upon like this, Yi Zenan's face turned instantly red with anger, "What did you say? Stop pretending, there's no way someone like that exists! Now you've destroyed the surroundings so thoroughly, any important clues are gone! Anyone coming now would be talking nonsense!"

"Nonsense," Xie Fangcheng looked at him, "Don't speak for others if you can't measure up yourself."

"Who are you saying isn't up to it?!"

Xie Fangcheng looked at him: "You."

Yi Zenan was shaking with rage all over.

What he was most confident about was his intelligence, which he believed was higher than anyone else's. How could he allow someone to insult him like this?

A surge of anger overwhelmed his self-proclaimed rational and clear mind.

Suddenly, Yi Zenan touched his wrist, pulling out a somewhat strange item that looked like a music box from his system backpack.

"You said that person is very strong, right?! Fine! Call him over! I'll show you who is the master strategist in this game!!!"