[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-monsters-are-coming":3,"chapter-the-monsters-are-coming-monsters-are-coming-chapter-143":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Monsters Are Coming",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2249992,4069,"Chapter 143: Seventy Thousand Newbies, Noobs Fighting Noobs","monsters-are-coming-chapter-143",143,"\u003Cp>The replica of the Erosion Clan’s central brain, the Ji Le Central Brain, left Qi Sheng stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, the purple mountain was slowly writhing; through the flesh barrier, one could see countless tentacles connecting the Ji Le warriors encased within.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like the Xie Yan Tower, this was another replica.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It appeared to be the Erosion Clan’s central brain, but in truth it was a flesh-and-blood exosuit, within which lay a Ji Le warrior controlling the central brain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only difference from the Xie Yan Tower was that the Ji Le Central Brain was not entirely composed of energy—it incorporated vast amounts of flesh and blood matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the flesh writhed, the Ji Le power’s energy fluctuations rippled through the flesh body, like a prelude to life, with tiny cells splitting, combining, and mutating at astonishing speeds, gradually constructing complex lifeforms according to built-in troop blueprints.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What surprised Qi Sheng was that the Ji Le Lord had clearly studied the life structure of the Erosion Clan’s central brain in depth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the gestation process, a peculiar biological resonance formed within the central brain’s body, automatically imprinting a subjugation mark into the minds of the emerging lifeforms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, the abdomen of the Ji Le Central Brain opened, and a flood of purple energy spores surged forth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon landing, Ji Le power rapidly infused them, and the nourished spores grew swiftly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Qi Sheng thought the Ji Le Lord had finally produced a somewhat credible replica, a ludicrous scene unfolded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Countless Ji Le insectoid creatures collapsed and screamed upon birth, their bodies exploding into scattered purple mist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reproduction lasted ten minutes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After calculation by the Guide, the survival rate of the Ji Le insectoid creatures was under 10%; most died immediately after birth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cause was tied to their incomplete life structure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Ji Le Central Brain’s generated Ji Le insectoid warriors simply could not withstand the violently injected energy; their growth resembled forcing seedlings to grow, causing the warriors’ bodies to burst from energy overload before reaching maturity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This… has any meaning?” Qi Sheng thought in utter disbelief upon witnessing this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Boss, from a long-term perspective, it’s extremely meaningful. Progress isn’t achieved solely through innovation—imitation and learning can also drive advancement. Starting with replication and imitation, then gradually developing your own uniqueness, is a very intelligent choice and a shortcut to growth.】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【But at this stage, the Ji Le Lord is still in the early phase of imitation, having learned nothing of the Black Black Tide or the Insect Black Tide—only copying the form without grasping the core essence. The massive resources invested so far have yielded no effective returns.】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So you mean the Ji Le Lord might actually succeed in the future?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In response to the question, the Guide nodded:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Whether the Black Black Tide or the Insect Black Tide, their current military structures were gradually refined through war, absorbing experience until they evolved into today’s Catastrophe-level architectures. So this path is undoubtedly correct—but walking it successfully is not easy. Too many factors influence success or failure.】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Insufficient resources, unexpected crises, R&D bottlenecks… these are all potential obstacles. More importantly, there are many hard-to-break nodes along this path, which require Rule Power to overcome.】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【For example, the Erosion Clan’s pheromone collection and evolution ability is granted by Rule Power. For the Ji Le Lord to succeed, he must create a similar Rule Power—mere imitation of Ji Le Power is nowhere near enough. The process is like the ascetic creation of the Painful Tentacle: he must forge Rules capable of bearing the desired functions and effects before any further progress can occur.】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【So this path of imitation and replication is viable, but extremely difficult to complete—there are too many obstacles to overcome.】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are there any other replicated military architectures nearby?” Qi Sheng asked at this moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Yes.】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the Guide spoke, Qi Sheng’s consciousness shifted to a purple lighthouse on the snowfield to the east.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After activating the Analysis ability, relevant information surfaced in Qi Sheng’s mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Ji Le Divine Lamp】:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Analysis Description: The Ji Le Lord’s replica of the Blue Lantern Clan’s Ji Le Divine Lamp, capable of temporarily altering certain world rules within its area of effect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blue Lantern Clan?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a race Qi Sheng had never encountered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he could be certain: their overall strength must be formidable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The previous two replicated units were both Catastrophe-level forces spanning multiple worlds; that this force’s architecture was valued by the Ji Le Lord proved it possessed undeniable strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, the Ji Le Lord does not copy the weak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The description of world rule modification in the analysis intrigued Qi Sheng deeply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Boss, the Blue Lantern Clan likely wields a special Rule Power similar to a world rule editor—essentially generating a customized world.】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【For example, if the Blue Lantern Clan wishes to eliminate fire elements from this world, the Divine Lamp’s rule will purge all fire energy within its area of effect. Or, if they alter the rule to state that cultivation causes power regression, that becomes the core logic of the world’s operation—but this modification is limited to the lamp’s area of effect and is not permanent; once the area of effect lifts, the original world rules automatically restore.】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After hearing the Guide’s explanation, Qi Sheng grew even more curious:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If the Divine Lamp’s rule were modified so that Blue Lantern Clan members become immortal, wouldn’t they never die in wars against other races?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Correct. But such modifications clearly come at a cost—the higher the intensity of the setting, the greater the resource consumption during its duration. If unrestricted, theoretically the Blue Lantern Clan would be absolutely invincible within the lamp’s area of effect, with no force capable of opposing them.】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s real cheating—cheating with a Wind Spirit Moon Shadow mod.” Qi Sheng thought of a game-hacking tool from before his transmigration, upon hearing the Guide’s explanation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Blue Lantern Clan was exactly like a cheating faction wielding a “Rule Editor.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After deep analysis of the Ji Le Divine Lamp’s structure, it too was a low-quality replica.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The energy it released could only briefly warp space—it could not clearly modify spatial settings within its area of effect. It was nothing more than a toy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After analysis ended, Qi Sheng’s consciousness followed the Guide across the snowfield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides the Ji Le Clan’s experimental base, the snowfield teemed with numerous low-level monsters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frost Fury Bears, Frost Giant Wolves, Ice Crystal Butterflies, Glacial Beasts, and more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After gaining a general understanding of this region, Qi Sheng decided to establish a novice village space here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To raise the intensity of the Ji Le Lord’s experimental base.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After leaving a marker, Qi Sheng’s consciousness returned to the Emperor Tomb Village space and contacted Yan Ming to begin constructing the new space.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This new space’s construction also required cutting into the Emperor Tomb Village space’s area—he had already reserved one-third of the unconstructed land during the main city’s development for this purpose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to the Guide’s calculation, the space construction would consume 9.7372 million sacrificial power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The new space’s setting was similar to the Misty Coast space: it provided only a blank slate environment, with no additional services.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only functional building was the teleportation plaza connecting to the Emperor Tomb Village space.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With ample sacrificial power available, the rest was left to Yan Ming’s care—he didn’t need to worry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the space was built, he would launch the next recruitment drive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, he would release 70,000 player slots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For player selection, he already had clear alien targets in mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this stage, the player army already possessed sea and land combat capabilities, but clearly lacked aerial combat strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For this recruitment, his primary consideration was aerial combat capability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Secondarily, he still prioritized human players as the core recruitment target.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three days later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Challenger’s notification rang in every player’s mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Challenger Notification (All Channels): Game update released. New exploration map opened: Frost Snowfield.】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(Scene video)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frost Snowfield:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Scene Description: A remote, isolated region in the far north, untouched by civilization. Snow and ice reign supreme; cold and silence are the eternal stage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The opening of this new exploration map sparked heated discussion among players on the forum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Dao Qingyangzi: Wow, looking at the update background art—I love this scene! Snowfall, auroras over snowfields, glittering starry skies—and most importantly, another scene without those cowardly Butterflies! Exploration players rejoice!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guilty Parties Have Their Targets: Not going. Besides the Star Sea Campaign and the Home Defense Campaign, I’ve only ever visited Misty Coast. I still love the dark, gloomy, decaying environment of the Emperor Tomb Mountains. I want to fight the Insect Black Tide and Black Black Tide for another ten years—my only wish in life is to defeat the two major bullies of the novice village.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ate Rice Since Childhood: After watching the video in the data pack, the monster strength seems low—less than Emperor Tomb Mountains. Not suitable for hunting and leveling. I feel like they’re about to open another batch of new slots, specifically for newbie players.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Loves Milk Tea: Soul Manipulation faction rejoices! New monsters to capture! Brothers, all into the pot—swap old for new.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Slacking Captain Has Arrived: After watching the scene video, the monster strength in the analysis info is way too low, and monster density is sparse. Fine for a snowy picnic, setting up a tent for some fun—but forget about leveling. My rating: worse than Emperor Tomb Mountains and Misty Coast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Big Sword Chop Chop Chop: Anyone forming a team to go see the auroras? Bring one spiritual material each—I’ll bring pots, pans, and utensils. Let’s go have some fun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The opening of the new scene attracted a flood of players via teleportation portals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Sheng set the teleportation fee at 5 sacrificial power per use.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The investment in this new scene also meant new player recruitment could begin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Earth, Tianyu City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The city was composed of multiple islands suspended in the sky, interconnected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The islands’ main bodies were formed by large floating rocks assembled together, arranged in a staggered, orderly fashion. Main and satellite islands were linked by intricate bridges and floating walkways, forming a complex yet well-organized aerial transportation network.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The islands were also lush with vegetation; every Earth plant could be found here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the center of the main island stood a magnificent floating palace—the symbol of Tianyu City and the spiritual anchor of the Tianyu people. A blue energy pearl, brought from a minor world, was embedded in its peak. Each night, the pearl emitted a soft, warm glow, illuminating the entire island like a jewel set in the heavens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was also the energy core sustaining the islands’ levitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beneath the islands stretched an endless sea of clouds; standing at the edge, one could see the clouds churning below.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the mist cleared, turbulent oceans could be seen beneath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the islands did not occupy human territory, they restricted flight paths and were ordered by the Human Federation to never fly over any human city or block the sun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, they constantly drifted across the ocean.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The city’s primary residents were Tianyu people, a highly influential faction within the Earth Alliance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their bodily structure resembled humans, except they bore a pair of magnificent, powerful wings on their backs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The wings came in three colors—gray, white, and silver—corresponding to the Tianyu people’s juvenile, adolescent, and adult stages.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The average lifespan of Tianyu members approached 250 years, making them one of the longer-lived races in the Earth Alliance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In appearance, Tianyu people perfectly matched human aesthetics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their facial contours were generally refined, with broad, slightly raised foreheads, distinct brow ridges, and white eyebrows that were clearly defined and slightly upturned, with balanced spacing, giving them an aura of martial vigor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, in a residential building on one of Tianyu City’s satellite islands, covering over a hundred square meters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ding!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The green light on the game pod blinked on, the nutrient fluid drained out through the apertures, and the hatch rose automatically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Ling bent forward and stood up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the soft tubes connected to his skin automatically detached and retracted, he stepped out of the game pod, removed his game suit, and changed into the clothes laid out beside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Due to the presence of his wings, the clothing was designed to be loose, especially with open-back and open-shoulder cuts to ensure the wings could unfold and flap freely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a week of continuous grinding in Battlefront, having sold all his in-game resources and gear, Yu Ling decided to treat himself to a proper meal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sat down on the sofa, raised his right arm, and a touch-responsive smart light-screen popped up from his watch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After opening the food delivery app, he began placing his order.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tianyu City’s food delivery system was identical to that of the Human Federation: meals were prepared by chef robots and precisely delivered by flying robots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once, the Tianyu Clan had chefs as a profession, but after integrating into the Earth Alliance, technology rapidly evolved, and most former occupations had been replaced by robots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And among this generation of new Tianyu people born on Earth, very few had suitable job positions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If existence had any meaning, a major factor was generating purchasing power to drive economic circulation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a society, in Yu Ling’s eyes, nearly frozen in class stratification.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only way ordinary people could enjoy the benefits of the age was through the Star Net society built by the Eclipse Clan, especially its virtual gaming world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was also the primary income source for the vast majority of ordinary Tianyu people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But compared to minor races within the Earth Alliance, the Tianyu Clan earned substantial foreign exchange revenue annually by cooperating and licensing technology, and its residents enjoyed relatively high welfare levels, free from survival struggles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After placing his order, Yu Ling sat down at the computer desk in the living room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He woke the screen and glanced at the time in the lower-right corner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tonight, the first round of qualifications for “Dark Lands” would be released.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Tianyu Clan had 100,000 qualification slots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were still two hours and fifty-six minutes until the release.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He opened the group chat app and found thousands of players discussing the qualification release.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most were ranting about the Eclipse Clan’s hunger-marketing strategy—releasing only 100,000 slots for a Tianyu population exceeding seven million, a drop in the ocean that could never satisfy demand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Ling deeply despised this too; he joined the group chat and harshly criticized the Eclipse Clan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If there were class divisions among Earth Alliance races, the Eclipse Clan was unquestionably at the apex.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His childhood education always revolved around the Eclipse Clan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Smart city systems, the Star Net, node AIs… the Eclipse Clan were the pioneers who guided the Tianyu Clan into modernity, carving out a path of technological advancement for them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like other Tianyu members, Yu Ling’s feelings toward the Eclipse Clan were deeply complex.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On one hand, the Eclipse Clan helped the Tianyu Clan establish roots on Earth, providing abundant technology and resources—they were, in essence, benefactors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the other hand, he felt his self-worth diminished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clan education instilled pride in Tianyu history, reminding them that their ancestors once stood at the apex of their world’s food chain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But reality showed him the moon hanging high in the sky—the true pinnacle of the world, something no amount of chasing could ever surpass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This complex emotion made Tianyu people universally both love and hate the Eclipse Clan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But no matter how much they cursed, when the Eclipse Clan released new technology for sale, they bought and used it without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just like this new release: Dark Lands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the Tianyu Clan’s first round of qualification pre-orders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Ling was certain every single Tianyu member would join the rush.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because every Tianyu person was a loyal virtual gamer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Virtual games were their greatest form of entertainment, with daily online rates exceeding 85%, and their largest annual foreign exchange expenditure was on purchasing virtual goods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Time flew by in the group chat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was midnight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The midnight bell rang across the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let me win!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the help of his fascia gun, Yu Ling’s fingers became a blur, hammering the virtual keyboard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, the official Dark Lands webpage popped up a notification:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【This qualification pre-sale has ended. Unfortunately, you did not secure a purchase slot for “Dark Lands.”】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Damn it! I didn’t even get one!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He slammed the fascia gun onto the desk and slumped in his chair like a deflated balloon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he’d mentally prepared himself, the moment he saw the official rejection, he felt utterly despondent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had been anticipating this game for five years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew it would be the singular, unmatched virtual game for the next two decades—and far beyond.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Getting in first meant securing an early advantage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had missed such a crucial head-start opportunity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is so frustrating!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking he’d sold off all his Battlefront gear and had no games left to play for a while, Yu Ling sank into low spirits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He opened the group chat and found members already ranting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sky Tyrant: Eclipse Clan, I f*** your f***, only 100,000 slots? Are you treating us like beggars? Better not to release any at all. Suggest you recall this round—do you think we’re idiots?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tianyu Ground-Digging Technique: I was so angry I beat up my little cousin. Why couldn’t I have gotten this damn slot? Next time I enter the game, I’ll kill every Eclipse Clan player I see. Don’t ask why—just for the satisfaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tianyu Clan’s Most Beautiful: Guys, what do we do now? How do we survive the coming period?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flying Mounts What Good For: Boss, yesterday you told us to discount-sell all our Battlefront gear. Now what? Next qualification round won’t be for a month—what are we supposed to play in the meantime?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the members’ posts, as group admin, Yu Ling typed:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slow Bird Flies First (Admin): Hahaha, I got the slot! Didn’t any of you get it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing he’d secured the game slot, the group instantly erupted in rage, accusing him of cheating and demanding a refund.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But brief bragging couldn’t hide the truth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When members demanded proof via screenshot, Yu Ling confessed the truth—and was immediately flooded with more furious insults.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Yu Ling was about to join the rant, a link popped up in the group chat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Battlefront Loyalist: Guys, this link downloads the cracked version of Dark Lands—just posted on the forum. Many have already downloaded and played. Hurry up and get it! (Link attached)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sudden link stunned Yu Ling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sky Mantis: From the forum? Probably a scam link from the Breaker Clan’s bastards?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tianyu Clan’s Most Beautiful: I downloaded it. It’s amazing. My bank account emptied automatically. It’s definitely the real cracked version of Dark Lands. Download now, please!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sky Tyrant: So fun! I logged in and hit level 100 instantly. They even gave me a Dragon-Slaying Blade. If you’re a brother, come kill me in-game.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Battlefront Loyalist: I really downloaded it (screenshot: download proof). Who cares about Star Net monitoring? The Breaker Clan’s scams work by tricking you into transferring money—they can’t just drain your balance directly. So what if it’s a scam? Let me chat with the scammers and kill some time. Try it yourselves—the forum’s buzzing about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After reading the members’ discussion, Yu Ling clicked the link without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The webpage loaded, and he immediately clicked the download button at the center. Instantly, a progress bar appeared in the upper-right corner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Ling’s logic was simple: even a 1% chance was worth trying—what if it worked?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But deep down, he held little hope.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if this link truly delivered a cracked version of Dark Lands, the Star Net AI would soon ban it—and delete any downloaded copies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unless the unknown entity releasing the crack possessed higher Star Net permissions than the Star Net itself—but was that even possible?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After clicking download, Yu Ling opened the Tianyu Forum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He found many threads discussing the cracked link, with several players claiming they’d successfully downloaded the game.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But without screenshots, there was no way to verify if these guys were telling the truth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as the download reached 80%, a forum post caught Yu Ling’s attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Why can’t I download anymore? It says ‘slots exhausted, no new downloads open.’ What’s going on?】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Opening the post, he saw many players discussing the download failure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Ling felt a flicker of relief—he’d been smart enough to act first. At least he hadn’t missed it, regardless of truth or falsehood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the download reached 93%, a member who’d already played the game dropped a bombshell:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Battlefront Loyalist: Guys, it’s real. Absolutely real. I’ve already entered and started exploring. Level up, then we’ll team up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The group chat exploded. Everyone screamed in excitement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Ling clenched his fists in exhilaration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though many questions lingered—why wasn’t the Star Net monitoring this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn’t matter. Getting into the game was good—even if he’d only get to play for a short time before being banned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The final 7% of the download felt agonizing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, the download completion chime sounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Ling instantly transferred the game data into the game pod and pressed the adaptation key on the virtual keyboard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, a green light flashed on the pod—adaptation complete. He ripped off his clothes and sprinted toward the pod.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Player Yu Ling entered the game.】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Player Yu Zhen entered the game.】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Player Feiyu entered the game.】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The notification chimes of players entering the game kept echoing in Qi Sheng’s mind, their frequency increasing rapidly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He decisively blocked the information prompts in his mind, replacing them with a stream of data sweeping across his thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a gesture, a 3D projection of a Tianyu player appeared before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Challenger Name: Ben Niao Xian Fei】:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Primary Form: Tianyu Clan\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Racial Talent: None\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Body Strengthening Rank: 0 (Inherited Ming Hun Attribute: 0)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Star Vein Inlay (Rank: 1):\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slot One: Scatter Arrow Spirit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this recruitment round, he issued a total of 70,000 slots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among them: 40,000 Renzu players, 20,000 Tianyu players, and 10,000 Saizhu and Yuanfish players.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>New players were randomly deployed to resurrection squares across the three spaces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most players were sent to the newly opened Frostwinter Snowfield scenario.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During observation, these new players quickly exited the novice village space and began exploring the world, all stunned by the realism of the scenery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially those whose initial login points were in the Colorful Mist Coast and Frostwinter Snowfield spaces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the white space, they saw no scene modeling and complained that the game’s novice village was overly simplistic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But once they exited the novice village space, they were instantly awestruck by the scenery before them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nearly all players held extremely high expectations for the game Dark Eclipse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet after entering the game, they realized they had underestimated the Yue Shi Clan’s advanced technology—this was a virtual game indistinguishable from real-world physics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The regional voice channels were flooded with the shouts of new players.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The arrival of new players should have been the moment for veteran players to show off their extraordinary power, but veterans soon sensed something was off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The forums were flooded with posts buying sacrificial power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially the newly arrived Tianyu players—who hadn’t even begun experiencing the game’s content—had already started purchasing sacrificial power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This left many Renzu paying veteran players deeply annoyed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During this period, the price of sacrificial power had already surged once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason: the Arms Dealer Society and the Alchemist Society suddenly began bulk-buying sacrificial power on the forums at prices above market value.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This caused the acquisition cost of sacrificial power for many paying players to skyrocket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It also caused players who intended to sell sacrificial power to hold back, waiting and watching, hoping prices would continue rising for greater profit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even a new group of investor players emerged in the game.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They bought sacrificial power from other players, hoarded it, and treated it as a financial product, waiting for further price increases.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, these players had already earned substantial real-world profits from several rounds of sacrificial power price hikes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, with the arrival of new players, the already scarce sacrificial power faced another surge, leaving paying players extremely frustrated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike the Saizhu and Yuanfish, the Tianyu new players were already paying veterans from other games.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After preliminary exploration and understanding the game’s quality, they realized this would be an irreplaceable virtual world—and their future “main world” for decades to come—so they immediately chose to invest early, accelerating their in-game progression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This behavior angered many paying veteran players.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But many veterans cheered, especially the Saizhu and Yuanfish, two clans that used in-game labor to solve real-world hardships.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In their eyes, the higher the sacrificial power price, the better.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Sheng had statistics showing that the 5,000 game slots initially granted to the Saizhu and Yuanfish had already generated real-world returns accounting for 27.82% of their usual seafood sales revenue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the current trend of sacrificial power price increases, the 15,000 Yuanfish and Saizhu players entering the game would soon generate profits exceeding those from seafood exports.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The problem of unsold seafood and lack of foreign exchange earnings for the Saizhu and Yuanfish was no longer a problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the Tianyu recruits in this round, Qi Sheng valued their aerial combat capabilities, intended to compensate for early-stage weaknesses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the later stages, all players would gain flight and earth-piercing abilities—air combat would be no issue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This recruitment was also an evaluation: to observe the Tianyu players’ performance before deciding whether to issue more game slots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for how Tianyu players who failed to secure slots might feel if priority recruitment were later cut off, he didn’t care.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, his gaze shifted to the Frostwinter Snowfield, observing how new players performed in the new scenario.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Near the Frostwinter Snowfield’s starting point, the area was packed; the new player army marched forward en masse, initiating a sweeping advance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Biting trees, throwing snowballs, eating snowballs, yelling loudly… the new players entering the Frostwinter Snowfield were like hyperactive terriers with nowhere to burn off energy, frolicking everywhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After data analysis, Qi Sheng found that among these Tianyu players entering the Monster World, the most frequently chosen initial Ming Hun was the Scatter Arrow Spirit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon entering the game, they generally activated their primary forms, spreading their wings and soaring into the sky to survey the land below.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not long after, the player army encountered hundreds of giant bears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The battle erupted; Tianyu players in the air immediately summoned their Scatter Arrow Spirits for aerial attacks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But without Ming Hun attribute bonuses, the blood-consuming attacks quickly drained their stamina, forcing them to fall from the sky and crash into the snow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a common mistake among new players, especially those who skipped learning game mechanics and jumped straight into exploration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ming Hun attributes far exceeded the player’s real-world body attributes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Using the primary form to activate Ming Hun traits directly caused excessive mental fatigue leading to dizziness, or excessive blood loss leading to weakness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In their first battle, many players were killed by the giant bears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After clearing the hundreds of giant bears, the rampaging army pushed forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After wiping out several waves of bears, they encountered the main force of the Frostwinter Snowfield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A group of peculiar lifeforms constructed from purple energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When they saw these monsters, the new players’ expressions turned utterly bewildered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially when they saw the monsters stumble mid-march, then stagger back to their feet—some nearly laughed out loud; the regional voice channels erupted in discussion:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What the hell? The scene modeling is amazing, the physics are perfect—why is this purple-skinned monster’s model so trash? It’s unbearable to look at.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m dying laughing—this monster has a leg growing out of its head! Its own model is wearing itself!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The analysis info says these are Jile evil influences, so maybe weird designs are fine? I think it’s intentional—a chaotic, disordered lifeform meant to feel twisted and insane.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I accept everything you said, but can you explain why that Jile evil influence just lay on the ground and got stomped by our own monsters?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m laughing so hard—this Jile evil influence is too abstract! Are they already messing with new players in the novice village? Refund me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The new player army soon clashed with the Purple Black Tide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the battle was abstract on both sides.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the player side, combat resembled street brawls—completely unstructured, occasionally even turning on teammates over monster aggro.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the Jile side, the Jile warriors atop the Gao Ta were nearly burning out their brain cells.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Jile evil influences they controlled frequently froze mid-combat, suddenly collapsed, rolled on the ground, or attacked the wrong targets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The new players stared in shock, exclaiming that the monster AI was pathetically low.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the Jile evil influences had hunting ranks of 6+, and their overwhelming numbers crushed the new players, who screamed in panic as their front line collapsed instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scene was a classic case of incompetent fools fighting each other.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as the new player army thought their forces would be shattered, a bizarre event occurred.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crawling, stumbling Jile evil influences encountered an invisible barrier—crossing it caused them to suddenly collapse and freeze in place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After several waves fell, the Jile evil influences began retreating, watching the new players from across the invisible barrier, glaring fiercely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This left the new players bewildered—but Qi Sheng, observing from behind the scenes, understood exactly what had happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One function of the Gao Ta is signal amplification: the Jile warriors’ mental control is extended via the tower, but once outside the mental connection range, the Jile evil influences lose signal and freeze in place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s why they couldn’t rise after falling—they had no movement at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing such stupid monster AI, new players flooded the regional voice channels with complaints.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This scene was also recorded by new players and posted on the forums.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Veteran players, come explain what the hell this is?】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Poster: Fei Shang Yun Xiao\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Content: I was genuinely amazed when I first entered the game.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I give the scene modeling a perfect score, and the physics too (no issues found yet)—but what the hell is this? (video attached).\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first, I encountered a group of giant bears and thought the monster models were incredibly detailed—pupils, fur, movements—all flawless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then our new player army encountered the Jile evil influences.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These monsters left me stunned—I felt like I’d switched to an entirely different game.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Missing limbs, arms growing from heads, heads growing from chests, limbs misaligned… aside from a few models that looked somewhat normal, most monsters were abstract, all with clipping errors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it were just modeling, I could accept it as a design choice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Yue Shi Clan intentionally designed this chaotic, abstract style as part of the monster system.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the AI performance is terrible—it feels like high latency: movements stutter, sometimes freezing in place, sometimes suddenly twitching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their attack patterns are even more absurd—they attack our own monsters. I couldn’t help laughing multiple times during combat, laughing so hard I could barely swing my fist. This is too much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, do monsters in Dark Eclipse suffer from network lag?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This isn’t a design choice—it’s clearly a bug.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What do veteran players think?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After reading the post, veteran players burst out laughing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How are the game's monster AI? How could they not know?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The learning and growth capabilities of the two major bullies of Emperor Tomb Village are Kancheng  torture; they’ve always believed the AI’s strength is too high and needs to be nerfed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So when they saw new players complaining, they were utterly confused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Until they opened the video and saw the footage of the Ji Le evil spirits advancing—then they completely lost it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nightfall Approaching: Hahaha, Purple Black Tide, right? The Lord of Ji Le really knows how to pull stunts—he actually replicated a Black Black Tide system! I’m laughing so hard I’m crying. This is totally worth it; new players, go grind hard, you’re guaranteed profit. The Lord of Ji Le is known in the martial world as the Lord of Joy or the Lord of Benefits, meaning he brings happiness and rewards to players. If only the hunting level weren’t so low and the rewards didn’t pale next to Emperor Tomb Mountain, I’d definitely go there and grind hard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soaring to the Clouds replied to Nightfall Approaching: What do you mean, Purple Black Tide and Black Black Tide? I don’t get it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nightfall Approaching replied to Soaring to the Clouds: Go to Emperor Tomb Mountain and you’ll understand. What you’re facing now is a low-quality copy. It’s abstract, sure—because these aren’t real monsters at all. They’re all knockoffs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tea Master: I’m sipping spiritual broth on the beach—I just spat it out. What is this Lord of Benefits trying to do? Is he insane? Why mimic the Black Black Tide disaster and create a Purple Black Tide disaster instead? Isn’t it better to just develop Ji Le Palace normally? Thinking back to when they suddenly closed the doors and refused customers last time made me furious—we didn’t even get to enjoy a single kill before they shut down, completely ignoring our players’ feelings. Annoying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I Love Sweet and Sour Ribs: I have a theory. Maybe the Lord of Benefits is just too eager to improve. Think about why he hides inside Ji Le Palace—he must feel his strength isn’t enough to compete with the outside wall-breakers. But he hasn’t given up. He’s endured humiliation, capturing living beings and dragging them into Ji Le Palace to die in bliss, channeling all the Ji Le energy produced into R&D, modeling his creations after the Black Black Tide. So this new scene is likely the Lord of Benefits’ own tech R&D center.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>xl’s small account: You all just see the fun. I see the heartbreaking struggle of a talentless person desperately chasing after wall-breakers. The Lord of Benefits is amazing. So his R&D must consume massive energy—suggest you open more nodes to take in customers. I’ll definitely support you; I’ll sacrifice myself to produce Ji Le energy for you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the Purple Black Tide army, veteran forum players were torn between laughter and tears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After watching the video, they didn’t think the monster AI was flawed—they thought the AI was set too high.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the worlds they hadn’t yet explored, every faction was striving to grow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Take the Lord of Ji Le—he’s constantly learning and improving, copying and refining the military structures of powerful factions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But there’s no doubt: at this stage, the Purple Black Tide hasn’t captured the essence of the Black Black Tide, nor does it possess the oppressive presence the Black Black Tide should have.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the new players said, the state of the Ji Le evil spirits resembles extreme network lag—their combat style is too abstract.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Forum players launched heated discussions on this issue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Through veteran explanations, the new players finally understood the reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They learned that the Ji Le evil spirits in the scene were all low-quality copies, not true monsters by any meaningful definition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, news of a player tribe appearing in the Frostwind Tundra was relayed to the Lord of Ji Le’s mind, hidden in his isolated space, by the Ji Le warriors controlling the Purple Black Tide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",5914,"2026-06-19T09:20:35.554Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","8fb749b763b502fbdf7c580b26f842be3ddeb6c51f2a00d04e6a09acd67fbb2d","monsters-are-coming-chapter-144","monsters-are-coming-chapter-142",393,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fmonsters-are-coming-cover.jpg"]