Chapter 526: Official Announcement

Cheng Shuili leans against the chair back, her fingers lightly tapping the armrest.

The office falls silent, everyone staring at the glittering golden leaderboard that unfolds before them as the Weaver Girl's words finish.

The leaderboard's design is exquisite, with dark patterns and soaring clouds in full, but unfortunately…

The Weaver Girl hasn't announced yet; there isn't a single character on it.

"When will the ink stop?" Xinxue mutters, clearly a bit impatient.

The others don't respond, but judging by their watches, they all think the Weaver Girl's opening is a bit too long.

Amid the silent anticipation of the Black Feather members and the urging voices from the regional channel, the tenth place is finally revealed!

【Tenth place, Yanhuang (East District), Leader: Qing Pingyue.】

"Congratulations to this player from the East District! Your faction has weathered countless storms and secured the server‑wide tenth place!"

Cheng Shuili and the Black Feather members seated in the room exchange glances, each seeing the other's smile.

At least it's the Dragon Nation Alliance, what an honor, what an honor!

The World Channel updates rapidly, and players from the East District feel proud, bragging here. Players from other districts remain composed, since the announcement has just begun, revealing only the tenth place.

【Ninth place, Eternal Frozen Wasteland (North District), Leader: Grey Eyes.】

Eternal Frozen Wasteland?

Xinxue immediately looks at Cheng Shuili, isn't this the faction Lao Da just mentioned to her?

This faction wasn't on the leaderboard before; in just three days, it surged like this…

No wonder Lao Da said that.

【Eighth place, Thousand‑Leg Dynasty (South District), Leader: It's really hot here.】

Xinxue can't hold back: "Thousand‑Leg… Dynasty?"

Ailin peers in: "Who came up with this name?"

"Anyway it's not someone from our East District," Wan Yi says evenly, "We couldn't come up with a name like that."

Zhou Zhuxing pushes his glasses and analyzes seriously: "It could be a local species worship in the South District. Thousand‑leg insects, many‑legged, arthropods, common in humid hot zones—"

"No one asked you," Yu Bing interrupts her.

Zhou Zhuxing immediately shuts his mouth.

Cheng Shuili doesn't join the discussion, her gaze scanning the leader ID on the leaderboard.

It's really hot here.

South District, indeed it's hot.

She withdraws her gaze, waiting for the Weaver Girl to continue reading.

【Seventh place, Great Wall Watch (East District), Leader: War Wolf Soul Immortal.】

"What?" Xinxue is startled and stands up, "How can Great Wall Watch be in this spot? Weren't they fifth place?"

Xinxue's startled shout freezes everyone in the room.

As the Weaver Girl's voice ends, the previously blank leaderboard before each player fills with the corresponding text.

The Weaver Girl didn't misread, and they didn't mishear.

"That's wrong," Ailin also realizes, frowning as she recalls, "In the previous list, the West District's New Federation and Wilderness Roar were behind Great Wall Watch; how is Great Wall Watch seventh now?"

"That was data from three days ago," Cheng Shuili suddenly says.

The room falls silent.

Cheng Shuili's voice remains flat, and everyone understands its meaning.

In these three days, almost every faction has been quietly intensifying, tacitly engaging in this never‑publicized arms race.

Everyone rushes to boost their faction's strength and rank; a moment's lapse lets others overtake them.

Now seventh place… it's not that Great Wall Watch fell short, but that others did more.

【Sixth place, New Federation (West District), Leader: Adams.】

【Fifth place, Wilderness Roar (West District), Leader: Eagle Eye Walker.】

When these two names appeared, Xinxue was no longer surprised. She just kept a straight face, fingers tightly gripping her teacup.

No one in the room exclaims again.

Everyone silently watches the glittering golden leaderboard as names fill it from bottom to top.

【Fourth place, Holy Flame (South District), Leader: Crimson Sand Holy Flame.】

When this name was announced, the World Channel exploded for a moment. Countless Holy Flame members from the South District began to revel!

Players from the South District celebrate like New Year.

"Hahahahahahaha! Fourth! See it? Fourth!"

"Long live Holy Flame! Long live Leader Crimson Sand! Three years of preaching ignored, now that we're on the list the world knows!"

"Who said our Holy Flame is a cult? Who called our leader a liar? Come out! Come out and duel!"

"Wooo— I'm crying, really crying. From the old world to the new world, our leader never abandoned us."

"Weaver Girl sister! What's the fourth‑place reward! Any exclusive title! Any special item?"

"Stay calm, stay calm. Our Holy Flame's quest is the stars and seas; a mere fourth place is just a starting point."

The World Channel is flooded with South District news; occasional interjections from other districts are instantly drowned out.

People from the West District are busy congratulating their own leader, those from the North District shout that Iron Curtain will surely hold third place, the East District remains silent, occasionally drifting a few lines like "Go Great Wall Watch" "Go Black Feather".

Cheng Shuili knows what they're thinking.

Great Wall Watch was pushed out by two West District factions, and they worry whether Black Feather will be squeezed out by Wings of Freedom.

She says nothing.

The leaderboard continues.

【Third place, Iron Curtain (Bei Da Qu), Leader: Steel Heart】

The Bei Da Qu channel briefly erupted in cheers, then fell silent again.

Everyone was waiting.

Waiting to see who the second place actually was.

Cheng Shuili's fingers rested on the handrail, and she couldn't help tightening her grip a bit.

Weaver Girl's voice, with a deliberate pause, said: "Second place—"

World Channel's refresh rate slowed, and countless players halted their actions, staring at the golden‑shimmering leaderboard.

The text began to appear……

【Second place, Freedom Wings (Xi Da Qu), Leader: Handsome White Eagle】.

Weaver Girl's voice fell.

World Channel was silent for a moment.

Then news from Xi Da Qu surged out like a gate opened.

"What? We're second place?"

"We're only second place? Who is first? Which region are they from? It can't be some dark horse from somewhere snatching the crown, can it?"

"You'd rather believe an unknown dark‑horse force took first, than accept that the first place is from Dong Da Qu, that it's Black Feather, right?"

"What do you mean? Explain clearly."

"So the first place is Black Feather? Weaver Girl hasn't announced yet, on what basis do you assume it's Black Feather?"

"Exactly, what if it is? What if it isn't?"

"……"

Before everything settled, the players of Xi Da Qu still clung to a sliver of hope.

Meanwhile, the players of Dong Da Qu felt their hearts rise to their throats, wondering who the first place really was, and whether it was their own Black Feather.

Though they thought no other answer was possible, though they thought no other answer was possible, what if?