Chapter 242: The Resource Competition Officially Begins

In preparing emergency supplies for himself, Lin Yifan naturally wouldn't be stingy about price.

Coincidentally, he had obtained a batch of supplies from Zhao Tianba, so using them didn't bother him at all.

A large amount of supplies were poured out, and indeed he managed to purchase some, but the quantity remained small—enough to make about ten incendiary bombs—but that was sufficient as a last resort.

Besides that, he also placed two pots of high-quality cultivation soil, as well as the spine fruit tree and its seeds, into his space; these two batches of cultivation soil and seeds were his final reliance.

In extreme circumstances, these two things may not fill his stomach, but at least they won't let him starve to death!

So, other things can be left behind, but these two must be brought!

Apart from these, there was nothing else to prepare.

At this moment, with only about ten minutes left before the 'Resource Competition' began, Lin Yifan sent a message each to Ruan Qingtian and Hong Shaoqiang, then took no further action.

Ten minutes later, the system prompt sounded on time:

【Warning! The battlefield mission 'Resource Competition' is about to start! All registered survivors will be forcibly transmitted to the mission area in ten minutes! Please prepare!】

Finally, it's here!

The true test is finally about to begin.

Lin Yifan's eyes narrowed, and he gripped his weapon tightly.

He quickly checked his equipment and skills—【Shadow Blade】, 【Self-defense Leather Armor】, 【Ice Domain】……

Finally, he checked the supplies in his space once more, confirmed everything was ready, and then quietly waited for the transmission to begin.

At the same time, Ruan Qingtian also changed into a set of lightweight leather armor, holding a bow in her hand, her expression tense yet resolute.

"Captain, will we be transmitted to the same place?" she messaged Lin Yifan asking.

"Uncertain." Lin Yifan, seeing the message, replied:

"The rules of the battlefield mission differ each time; even the alien who leaked the information to me doesn't know the rules each time, but I have a Team Card in hand, which can be used in this Instance now, so I'll bring you and Brother Hong together to gather."

"However, according to this world's survivor rules, we are likely to be scattered, or possibly appear together directly; in any case, just remember one thing—staying alive is most important! If you encounter danger, prioritize self-preservation, don't overreach."

Ruan Qingtian took a deep breath: "Mm! I will definitely come back alive!"

【Countdown: 00:05:00】

In the chat channel, survivors had already begun to encourage each other.

【White Angel】: "Everyone, don't panic! After entering, try to stick together, absolutely don't go alone!"

【Watermelon, Crushed Ice】: "I have a Team Card; after entering the Instance, I can pull teammates together—anyone who wants to team up with me, contact me quickly!"

【Meat Bun】: "Sniff… I don't want to die…"

【Zhao Tianba】: "Hmph, a bunch of useless people; once we enter the battlefield, don't drag me down!"

……

Lin Yifan no longer paid attention to the noise in the channel, but silently closed his eyes, feeling the newly acquired power within him—【Shadow Infiltration】.

"I hope this skill will be useful at a critical moment……"

【Countdown: 00:00:10】

【Battlefield Mission—Resource Competition, officially launched!】

Whoosh——!

A flash of blinding white light passed; Lin Yifan felt his body lighten, as if pulled by an invisible force, and instantly vanished from the spot.

……

When Lin Yifan opened his eyes again, he found himself standing on a barren scorched earth.

The sky was overcast, dark clouds packed tightly; in the distance, collapsed buildings and burning wreckage could be vaguely seen.

The air was filled with a rotten and bloody stench.

"Is this…… the battlefield?" he muttered softly.

【Ding! Welcome to the 'Resource Competition'!】

【Mission Objective: Within 72 hours, collect as many 'Energy Crystals' as possible, and survive until the end!】

【Current Area: Scorched Earth Wasteland (Danger Level: Three Stars)】

【Warning: The battlefield contains numerous hostile organisms, including but not limited to—Mutant Beasts, Fallen, Hostile Survivors; they are extremely dangerous, please stay away from them!!】

【Ranking Rewards:】

【1st Place: S-rank Skill Book ×1, Life Tier Increase ×2】

【2nd-10th Place: A-rank Skill Book ×1, Life Tier Increase ×1】

【11th-20th Place: Bronze Equipment ×1, Random Attribute Points ×30】

【21st-50th Place: Black Iron Equipment ×1, Random Attribute Points ×25】

【51st-100th Place: Random Attribute Points ×20】

【Survivors (Minimum Reward): Random Attribute Points ×10】

Lin Yifan looked at the reward details, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Indeed, even if ranked last, as long as he could walk out alive, he could increase his Life Tier!

It seems Erielia and Rayan didn't deceive him; now he only hopes the people in the area will heed his words and obediently participate in this hegemony match.

However, these are no longer related to Lin Yifan; he has already given the reminders he should, and the rest is up to them.

All he needs to do is survive, while also achieving a better ranking.

Lin Yifan looked around and saw no other survivors nearby; it seemed the transmission was random.

"I hope the team transmission can work……"

He took out a teammate transmission talisman from his space, but unfortunately, it cannot be used here.

Lin Yifan could only sigh, messaged Ruan Qingtian and Hong Shaoqiang, then began to explore.

However, before he could act, a rustling sound suddenly came from his ears——

"Crack!"

The scorched earth beneath his feet trembled slightly, as if something was wriggling underground.

Lin Yifan instantly became alert, gripping the Shadow Blade tightly and slowly stepping back.

"Boom—!"

The next second, the ground erupted violently, a huge black centipede covered in spikes burst out, its vicious mouthparts lunging straight for his throat!

"Courting death!"

Lin Yifan's eyes turned cold, his figure suddenly blurred—

Shadow Stealth activated!

His body instantly turned into a black shadow, easily dodging the centipede's lunge, then he backhanded a slash at its joint!

"Pfft!"

The Shadow Blade precisely slipped into the gap in the centipede's carapace, green blood spraying out!

"Hiss—!" The centipede winced in pain, thrashing wildly swinging horizontally!

Lin Yifan had been prepared, he rolled to dodge, at the same time he shouted his opinion, fiercely pointing at the centipede's head!

"Bang!"

The arrow pierced straight into the centipede's head, penetrating its compound eyes.

The centipede wailed in agony, its movements becoming sluggish.

"It's over."

Lin Yifan seized the chance, leapt forward, and drove the blade straight into the centipede's brain!

"Pfft!"

The blade pierced the skull, the centipede convulsed violently a few times, then collapsed with a thunderous crash.

【Ding! Killed "Scorched Earth Centipede (C-rank)", obtained Energy Crystal ×5!】

A crystal emitting a faint glow floated up from the centipede's corpse.

"Is this the Energy Crystal?" Li Yifan curiously stared at the crystal, reaching out to grab it, but the moment his finger touched it, the crystal instantly merged into his body.

【Current Energy Crystals: 5/1000 (not ranked)】

"It's pure energy!" Lin Yifan exclaimed, looking at his own hands and the information appearing before him.

However, such a powerful centipede yielded only about 5 points of energy, while making the ranking requires 1000 points!

It seems this competition isn't just fierce—it's downright harsh!

Still, being able to drop crystals from monsters is quite a good thing!

Although this centipede was tough to deal with, given his current reach, it wasn't too difficult to handle.

He had just put away the crystal when suddenly, fierce fighting sounds came from a distance, faintly mixed with painful screams.

"Other survivors?"

Lin Yifan narrowed his eyes, hesitated for a moment, then silently moved toward the sound.

"First check the situation; if it's someone I know..."

His figure merged into the shadows, approaching the battlefield soundlessly.

But when he saw the scene before him, his pupils suddenly contracted—

Three survivors were being besieged by a group of black-robed "people", and on their chests they clearly wore the insignia of the Nightfall Temple!

"Nightfall Temple people… they actually came in too?!"

Lin Yifan held his breath, pressing his body against a broken wall, his eyes locked firmly ahead.

The three survivors stood back-to-back, one holding a giant shield, barely blocking the black-robed attackers, but their movements were already slowing, obviously exhausted.

"Why are these Nightfall Temple people appearing on the battlefield?" Lin Yifan wondered anxiously.

According to Lei En and Ai Rui Li Ya, if beings from the Intermediate Domain forcibly enter the Initial Domain battlefield, they will be erased by the rules.

Yet the black-robed figures before him were clearly not Initial Domain survivors; their combat style and equipment far surpassed ordinary newcomers.

"Unless… they used some method to bypass the rules?"

At that very moment, the battle situation changed abruptly!

A black-robed figure suddenly raised his hand, a ball of dark-green flame appearing in his palm, which he blasted toward the shield-bearing survivor!

"Boom—!"

The shield instantly corroded, the shield-bearer screamed, his entire arm rotting away at visible speed!

"It's the Dark Corrosion Technique! They are the Nightfall Temple's 'Hunters'!" another survivor shouted in terror.

"Hunter?" Lin Yifan's heart jolted.

He had heard Lei En mention that the Nightfall Temple has a special unit dedicated to hunting enemy geniuses, called the "Hunters".

They are versed in shadow magic, adept at stealth and poisoning, the most loyal minions of the Night God.

But those who previously came to assassinate him, although they were Nightfall Temple members, were not "Hunters".

Now the "Hunters" have appeared here, and they immediately began slaughtering humans.

It seems the Nightfall Temple wants to fish in troubled waters in this resource struggle, killing more humans.

But there is another possibility: they are targeting Lin Yifan himself!

However, regardless of who they are after, as long as they are Nightfall Temple members, to Lin Yifan they are enemies.

He was about to intervene to save them, but ultimately he was too late.

"Pfft!"

Another survivor had his throat slit by a black-robed dagger, blood spraying out.

The last survivor desperately waved his longsword, roaring: "You bastards! Why must you exterminate us completely?!"

The leading black‑robed man let out a cold sneer, his voice hoarse: "If you want to blame anyone, blame that you and 'that person' are in the same District!"

Before the words finished, he thrust his hand up, a black shadow coiling around the Survivors' neck like a poisonous snake!

Crack!

The neck bone snapped, the last Survivor's eyes widened, and he slowly fell to the ground.

The leading black‑robed man sheathed his weapon, coldly saying: "Check the corpses and make sure nothing is missed."

The other few hurriedly searched the Survivors' backpacks and bodies; one of them whispered: "Captain, we didn't detect any Boundary Stone fluctuations; they aren't the target."

"Continue the search," the leader said in a grim tone. "Lin Yifan must be on this battlefield; Lord Lai En has issued a death‑order—his head must be brought back!"

Sure enough!

Lin Yifan's gaze turned icy, and a murderous intent flared.

This group had come specifically to hunt him!

It was unclear what Lai En's status was, yet he could command such powerful "Assassins" to act on his behalf.

"Five of them have the lowest Life Tier opposite to his; the leader could even be two tiers higher, and they're battle‑hardened…" he quickly assessed the gap between them.

Fighting head‑on has little chance, but the enemy has already marked him; retreating would only make him more passive.

"We must strike first to be strong!"

He inhaled deeply, silently activated Shadow Stealth, his form melting into the shadows like smoke as he slipped toward the outermost black‑robed man…

Lin Yifan's silhouette moved like a phantom, silently closing in on the rear black‑robed man.

The assassin was bent over inspecting a corpse, completely unaware that death had arrived.

The Shadow Blade sliced through the air silently—

Swish!

The sharp blade slipped precisely into the gap between the black‑robed man's neck and armor; before blood could spurt, Lin Yifan's left hand covered his mouth and nose to prevent any sound.

The black‑robed man convulsed violently a few times, then collapsed, completely lifeless.

"The first one."

Lin Yifan gently set the corpse down and dragged it into the shadows.

The whole process took less than three seconds and made no sound.

The leading black‑robed man suddenly turned back: "Huo Ke?"

Lin Yifan instantly held his breath, merging completely with the darkness.

"Went off to slack off again?" the leader snorted coldly. "Send someone to fetch him back."

Another black‑robed man complained as he walked toward Lin Yifan's hiding spot. When he passed a broken wall, the ground suddenly sprouted a thin sheet that froze his foot firmly to the earth.

"What is that?"

The black‑robed man froze for a moment, looked down at his back before he could shout, and a massive force yanked him to the ground.

He was just about to struggle when a dagger gleaming with cold light pressed against his throat.

"Shh…," Lin Yifan whispered into his ear, "Answer my question, and you can die more happily."

The black‑robed man's eyes flashed with malice, and he opened his mouth to shout.

Lin Yifan had anticipated it; the dagger sliced, and his other hand clamped down hard on the man's mouth.

Blood gushed from between his fingers, and the black‑robed man's gaze gradually faded.

"What a pity, still a hard‑headed bone," Lin Yifan sighed lightly.

He had intended to extract some information, but the people of the Night Temple were clearly desperadoes who didn't fear death at all.

From afar the leader's impatient voice rang out: "Two useless ones! Ai De, go check."

The footsteps drew nearer, and Lin Yifan quickly slipped behind a broken wall.

The black‑robed man this time was noticeably more cautious, gripping a poison‑coated short sword and scanning the surroundings warily.

"Huo Ke? Jie Sen? Stop messing around, the boss is angry…"

Lin Yifan narrowed his eyes, suddenly pulling a stone from his backpack and hurling it toward the distant ruins.

Plop!

"Who?!" the black‑robed man instantly turned toward the source of the sound.

It's now!

Lin Yifan leapt out like a leopard, Shadow Blade thrust straight at the black‑robed man's heart! Yet just as the tip was about to land, the man oddly sidestepped and swung a sword back toward Lin Yifan's throat!

Clang!

The dagger collided with the short sword, sparks flying everywhere.

The black‑robed man sneered, "So it's you! Lord Lai En was right; you're like a mouse that loves ambushes!"

Lin Yifan's heart froze—this was a trap! They had noticed a comrade under attack long ago but deliberately stayed silent to lure him out!