Chapter 238: Natural Disaster Emerges from the Sea: The Moment to Show Off (Request Monthly Tickets)

【Challenger Alert (Full Channel): Domain Node 'Divine Shift' detected. Node occupation mission activated. Rewards will be distributed based on contribution ranking.】

Simultaneously with the full-channel alert, the Gold Coin Society posted an intelligence-sharing thread on the forum.

【Intelligence Share: Rule Node (Sponsored by Gold Coin Society):】

Poster: MidnightNeedsMilk.

Content:

Recently, the Gold Coin Society established an intelligence platform dedicated to gathering data on primordial monsters, domain nodes, and rule nodes across all sea regions, using items purchased from the mall and information traded with alien races.

This aims to help our player warbands grow rapidly, acquire more selectable Soul Souls, and secure better spatial node environments.

Going forward, I will update and share any relevant intelligence via forum posts. Brothers, follow me for first-hand information on primordials and nodes.

Below is the intelligence we purchased and definitively verified.

Intelligence Type: Rule Node ('Divine Shift').

Exact Coordinates: Northwest of the Azure Star Sea, specific coordinates (map_marker.jpg).

Note: The Azure Star Sea map requires zooming into this area to reveal the alert marker, as the location lies within a semi-independent space invisible on the standard map.

Rule Node Overview: Numerous guardian monsters surround the node, feeding on energy it produces. To claim it, you must engage in fierce combat with these guardians. Below is the detailed analysis of the guardians (Ghost Scorpion Worm.jpg).

Ghost Scorpion Worms are common marine creatures with a base level of 70+, possessing high combat power.

Below is the analysis screenshot of the Rule Node 'Divine Shift' (Rule_DivineShift.jpg).

That concludes the intelligence shared by the Gold Coin Society. Feel free to follow; we will continue real-time updates.

Comments:

TheSunStillRises: I clicked in without paying attention, but after reading the post, I blurted out, 'Holy shit.' This is a rule node—and the effect is insane! Free conversion between Qi and Spirit Power. Is it possible that as a mage, I can switch my mana bar to HP when enemies close in, turning myself into an unkillable tank? That’s brutal! Magic users just got a massive buff.

SheDoesntPlayDark: !!!∑(Дノ)ノ What’s the Gold Coin Society? Why are you spending money to freely share primordial intel? Still, thanks for your effort. This 'Divine Shift' rule node is incredibly tempting, but I’m unclear on its exact effects. Hope the top guilds move fast and claim it.

WorkingWarrior: I don’t understand the analysis. Does this mean after containment, melee players can embed magic Soul Souls, or mages can embed melee physical Soul Souls? Or is it just pure energy value conversion? I’m confused—but both modes sound awesome. Like the guy above said: mages turning mana into HP, instantly becoming unkillable tanks. Magic users just got a massive boost—high damage plus insane HP. Who even needs melee anymore?

DogSwimmingBackstroke: Already en route. I’m about to hear the containment alert for this rule node. Everyone, get out to sea—the bigger the storm, the bigger the fish.

DrunkOnIcarus: Hss~ After reading the 'Divine Shift' description, this buff looks legendary. What are the top guilds doing? Organize teams and head out to fish! Ghost Scorpion Worms? I declare this species extinct in the Azure Star Sea. Who dares stand in the way of our players’ growth? This rule node isn’t for trash to claim!

SpicySeaSurface: I'm announcing a new special dish on the Spirit Chef menu: 'Ghost Scorpion Worm Meat.' Teams are already assembling to head out. As a loyal magic user, I'm thrilled by this 'Divine Shift' rule effect—the version's epic-level buff has arrived.

……

The Gold Coin Society’s forum post sparked heated discussion.

When the domain node alert first sounded, many players ignored it.

After all, node alerts appear frequently.

But the Gold Coin Society’s post detailed the area’s analysis and the specific traits of surrounding guardian monsters.

The description of 'Divine Shift' thrilled players.

Whether melee or magic players, all had struggled with one issue.

Many Soul Souls had powerful traits perfectly suited to their playstyle, but their growth attributes didn’t match their needs.

Each Soul Soul has two primary growth attributes: Physical Fitness and Mental Strength.

Every point added to Physical Fitness increases Strength, Stamina, Endurance, Burst Power, and Qi Strength.

Thus, Soul Souls favoring Physical Fitness are only suitable for melee players.

Every point added to Mental Strength increases Spirit Pool Capacity, Spell Power, and Spirit Recovery Speed.

Thus, Soul Souls favoring Mental Strength suit magic users better.

Different Soul Souls have distinct growth biases.

For example, one of the ancient Three Phantom Gods, the Hawk-Head Demon Soul Soul, has a growth ratio of Mental Strength (95%), Physical Fitness (5%).

If upgrading this Soul Soul grants 100 attribute points, 95 go to Mental Strength, 5 to Physical Fitness.

These growth biases created distinct playstyle sects in the game.

Besides extreme bias Soul Souls like Hawk-Head Demon, there are balanced ones, such as the Qi-Sustenance Soul Soul.

Growth ratio: Mental Strength (52%), Physical Fitness (48%).

Such Soul Souls are called Universal Soul Souls.

But most Soul Souls have severe growth biases, making them incompatible with both magic and melee players—yet their traits remain universally useful.

For example, the Speed Soul Soul.

This is a Physical Fitness-focused Soul Soul, but its trait is ideal for magic users seeking burst damage.

Many magic users embed it despite reducing their needed attributes, just for the burst output.

Or the Scatter Arrow Soul Soul—another Soul Soul magic users desperately want.

But its primary growth bias is 97% Physical Fitness, causing many magic users to lament: why must a divine magic skill rely on Physical Fitness?

This frustration isn’t unique to magic users; melee players Iron Face the same issue.

High-output melee combat is intense—life or death in an instant. With the Hawk-Head Demon’s perception, you gain major combat advantages and avoid surprise attacks.

Or the Flowing Shadow Clone—a powerful clone Soul Soul ideal for melee, yet its primary growth is Mental Strength.

Others like Blood Burn, Spirit Eye, etc., also suit melee builds.

But the primary growth bias locks the Soul Soul’s identity; leveling grants minimal benefits, leaving only the trait usable.

This has been a hot topic on the forum, with players arguing that Soul Soul growth biases reduce combo creativity.

But now, with the 'Divine Shift' rule, forum players see hope for a massive Star Vein combo update.

If the 'Divine Shift' rule domain truly lets players alter a Soul Soul’s primary growth attribute,

Magic and melee players’ Star Vein combinations will no longer be limited by primary attributes—entering a fully free-configuration era.

Even so, the inherent traits of melee and magic Soul Souls will remain.

After all, some Soul Soul effects depend not just on level, but also on Spirit Strength and Qi Strength.

But if the primary growth bias is neutralized, leveling can still enhance traits, offering alternative combat boosts.

To forum players, the 'Divine Shift' rule analysis was stunning.

Even if it doesn’t let you arbitrarily change primary attributes, merely switching between Spirit Strength and Qi Strength would be a game-changing super-buff.

To claim the 'Divine Shift' domain as soon as possible, forum players spontaneously organized and headed to the Misty Coast space.

Preparing to welcome the new 'Version Enhancement Module.'

Shortly after the Gold Coin Society’s post, massive numbers of players gathered at Misty Coast.

Top guild teams from Emperor Tomb Mountain, the Frostwinter Tundra’s Bliss Rebellion, the Dungeon World’s Blind Box Army… even the newest scene’s newcomers from Sen Luo Forest Realm arrived in waves.

The loudest shouts on the shore came from these newcomers.

Newcomers who’d just entered the Monster World rarely owned vehicles and begged veteran players to give them a ride out to sea.

Many Sen Luo Forest Realm newcomers had never been to Misty Coast before and were awestruck by everything.

Even if they’d seen it in videos during the Cloud Player era, the real experience was entirely different.

Compared to the deep, mysterious atmosphere of Sen Luo Forest Realm, Misty Coast presented newcomers with a brighter, more vivid environment.

Especially upon reaching the shore, the warm sea breeze and suddenly open horizon gave them a wholly new sensory experience.

As more players gathered, the shore grew livelier.

Veterans summoned their vehicles, creating a spectacular scene along the coastline.

All kinds of imaginative, abstract vehicles appeared—many designs left viewers stunned.

Sci-fi-style multi-person starships slowly lifted off; mechanical octopus multi-person submersibles launched from the shallows and sank into the sea; crystal-clear crystal chariots glided across the water’s surface, leaving dazzling trails… including the most popular: sword flight.

Instantly, the sight of thousands of flying swords shooting skyward drew continuous gasps from the newcomers.

Watching the diverse vehicles, newcomers’ eyes gleamed with envy; their voice channels buzzed with exclamations:

'Whoa, these vehicles are so cool! When will I ever get one this awesome?'

'Veterans, take me with you! I’ll sing for you on the way!'

'What’s so great about being a veteran? If you’re so good, give me a free ride to the rule node—better yet, include me in the Hall of Glory!'

'Holy shit, that Cloud-Somersault vehicle template is insane! Send me the template—I’ll copy it. Once I earn enough, I’ll buy it.'

Their exclamations fed veterans’ sense of superiority.

Some enthusiastic veteran players happily fulfilled newcomers' requests by picking them up on multi-person vehicles headed for domain nodes.

Monster Flow players also began arriving during this time.

These players generally owned no vehicles and crossed the sea in their true forms.

Black-armored snakes thirty meters long, roaring bears standing over ten meters tall, the ocean’s strongest monster form—'Fish Controller'—and more.

The scene resembled a sci-fi movie’s monster army—immensely spectacular.

When newcomers asked for rides, Monster Flow players mostly ignored them.

In their circle, the most despised are Monster Flow players who serve as mounts.

In their worldview, monsters aren’t tools, vehicles, or others’ mounts.

Monsters are symbols of power.

Choosing this path means riding wild waves, crushing mountains on vast lands, tearing through skies with fearless bodies, and displaying the absolute majesty of the King of Beasts.

Players who become others’ mounts are mere pets—not worthy of the title Monster Flow player.

So even if a black-armored snake’s back could carry dozens, no Monster Flow player would compromise.

Of course, dignity has its price.

If a newcomer offered tens of thousands of Sacrificial Power for a ride, most Monster Flow players would gladly carry them.

After all, Monster Flow players need to grow too—no one turns down Sacrificial Power.

For example, the Divine King’s tactics in Emperor Tomb Village sometimes involve Monster Flow players as mounts for charges, with rewards comparable to those given to Tank Flow players.

Giving money is essentially a form of respect; with reverence, everything becomes negotiable.

One hour after the Gold Coin Society posted the notice, the number of players at Colorful Mist Coast increased instead of decreasing, and many players who had returned to the village via shortcuts set sail at this moment.

The sight of mass sea departures was magnificent, as if the dimensional wall had been shattered.

Players of sci-fi, fantasy, xianxia, wuxia, anime, and every other style could be seen on Colorful Mist Coast.

Player teams with diverse vehicles set sail one after another.

Players’ shouts, the sound of ships cutting through waves, and the roars of Monster Flow players intertwined, composing an exhilarating war song of departure.

From above, the entire sea was occupied by dense player vehicles.

Among them were many lone-wolf players who normally did not join player teams, all of whom had now arrived.

Faced with the allure of the Divine Shift rules, no player remained unmoved.

Half a day later.

The first wave of faster players reached the coordinates marked on the map and saw a magnificent underwater vortex.

Without hesitation, this group of players passed through the vortex and descended into the Ghost Scorpion Realm.

But they did not act rashly; instead, they began waiting in place for reinforcements.

As more and more players entered the Ghost Scorpion Realm, they launched fearless charges against the ancient underwater structures in Free War Cultivation Mode.

Fierce melee erupted instantly.

Vast numbers of Ghost Scorpion insects surged wildly from the mud and sand, their dense forms nearly filling the entire water column, rapidly forming an impregnable defense line.

Their carapaces shimmered with a deep blue luster under the light, their massive pincers opened with a grinding sound, and their glowing tentacles danced as they attacked approaching players.

Each Ghost Scorpion insect had a Hunting Rank of 70+, with the key trait being extremely high defense.

Players, who were already ill-suited for underwater combat, suffered a crushing defeat in their first engagement with the Ghost Scorpions.

Fortunately, player reinforcements kept pouring into the Ghost Scorpion Realm, continuously replenishing the front lines with fresh forces.

Frontline Load-Bearing Flow players actively raised their shields, attempting to block the Ghost Scorpion pincers.

At the moment the shields collided with the pincers, a dull impact rang out, and the water was violently scattered.

Rearline Output-type players followed suit, launching arrows and energy projectiles that traced paths through the water, striking the Ghost Scorpions’ shells and splashing energy ripples.

Yet the number of Ghost Scorpion insects was simply too great.

Their attacks came in relentless waves, like tides.

Several front-line Ghost Scorpions used brute force to easily tear through the Load-Bearing Flow players’ frontline defense.

They surged into the rear of the player formation, their massive pincers becoming reaping tools, instantly slaughtering entire groups of players.

At this stage, only the most elite players in the player faction could stand against Hunting Rank 70+ enemies.

But even they were limited to one-on-one confrontations.

Facing such dense clusters of 70+ monsters, ordinary players died instantly upon contact.

Beyond their formidable physical strength, Ghost Scorpion insects could manipulate seawater, generating rapid whirlpools underwater that swept entire groups of players into them and shredded them.

“Protect the rear! Brothers with Star Shift, send the Ghost Scorpions away—the rear is getting crushed!”

One player shouted loudly in the regional voice channel, but his voice was quickly drowned out by the chaos of battle.

Under Free War Cultivation Mode, the battlefield quickly split into isolated zones, initiating small-group combat.

The murky water grew even more turbulent from the fighting.

Player skills and Ghost Scorpion attacks interwove in the water.

Ink Flame exploded in the sea, releasing vast bubbles; frost arrows struck the Ghost Scorpions’ shells, freezing patches of ice crystals; Void Grasp slammed down violently in the water, triggering waves of current disturbance.

The low growls of the Ghost Scorpions, players’ shouts, the roars of skill detonations… combined with the spreading silt underwater, the scene resembled a demonic dance.

Amid the chaos, several players activated Ultra Speed in an attempt to break out.

Their intent was obvious.

As players, there are two ways to contain a Domain Node.

The first way, players had only encountered within the Dark Moon Domain: the Node Crystal was entangled by a Corrosion Core, requiring the Corrosion Core to be shattered before the Domain Node could be contained.

The second way was simpler and more brutal: simply touching the Node Crystal was enough to contain it.

The players attempting to break out were aiming to contain the Domain Node via this shortcut method.

They sought to pluck the fruit of victory by direct contact.

But the blue net woven by the Ghost Scorpions filled the entire sea; they were quickly surrounded by Ghost Scorpion swarms during their breakout attempt.

To continue breaking out, they had to kill the blocking Ghost Scorpions—but under attribute suppression, ordinary offensive methods could not kill them, forcing the breakout players to dissolve into black mist and return to the village on the spot.

The battle gradually intensified.

Over 700,000 players responded to the call, with ever more pouring into the Ghost Scorpion Realm.

Among them were many elite guilds’ warbands.

Many of these were top-tier players whose Main Soul Rank had already reached 60+.

After joining the battle, the situation improved noticeably, and the efficiency of killing Ghost Scorpions rose significantly.

Yet even so, the unique underwater combat environment still left them feeling constrained and deeply uncomfortable.

In past land battles—even against Black Black Tide evil influences—they could rely on their refined skills to dodge and maneuver.

But underwater, after their movement mechanics changed, they felt as if dragging a thousand-jin burden; their bodies were constantly pulled by currents, their steps unsteady, with no solid point of leverage.

The trajectory of weapons moving through water was like slow motion.

Only Main Soul traits remained unaffected; even Ink Flame fireballs could still be released and burn underwater, their power unchanged.

The difference caused by the altered combat environment made even top-tier players feel their combat power had been drastically weakened.

Especially melee combat.

Normally, pushing off the ground to jump and land again was quick and easy.

But underwater, after jumping, both feet needed to slowly drift for a long time before the body could sink back to the seabed.

At this moment, players who gradually mastered underwater combat techniques began explaining them in the regional voice channel:

“Brothers with Gang Qi Main Soul, use Gang Qi to boost your movements—it’ll make your actions far more efficient, allow free dodging, and accelerate attack speed.”

“Players without Gang Qi, use Blood Soul Tethering flexibly: pull yourself along with blood ropes—move left by tugging a left-side Ghost Scorpion, move right by tugging a right-side one. Treat every Ghost Scorpion in your sight as a movement anchor. It’s incredibly useful, brothers.”

“Mage players’ movement is simple: use Void Grasp to lift and propel yourself. Can’t you multitask and control Void Grasp while doing something else?”

Not long after, the strategy-focused players had discovered effective methods for underwater combat.

Large numbers of players upvoted these techniques in the regional channel, pinning them to the top to help more players learn.

Yet many players still struggled to master underwater combat.

Especially the Tianyu Clan players.

Accustomed to using wings, they fought in an upright posture; when flapping their wings, their bodies didn’t advance but instead moved backward like rowing oars.

Adapting to this change in combat style required significant time to habituate and master.

Switching combat styles so abruptly made them feel deeply awkward.

At this moment, Qi Sheng, watching from behind the scenes, was also observing the battle unfold.

Scanning the seabed with his awareness, he saw that the only players unaffected by the environment were the Saima Clan and Meng Yuan Fish Clan players.

They moved like water spirits, gliding effortlessly across the underwater battlefield.

But the overall strength of this group was not strong.

Although they were veteran players, when the Saima and Meng Yuan Fish Clans first entered the game, they primarily focused on trade, spending all the Sacrificial Power they earned on improving their real-life conditions.

When real combat was needed, they struggled to display significant combat power.

Compared to their in-game power growth, their real-world changes were perhaps even more noticeable.

Players from these two clans had generally been in the game for over half a year, during which their fishing port city had undergone two major planning and reconstruction phases.

First, large quantities of Erosion Clan medical equipment were introduced, along with the establishment of a fishing port medical station, significantly improving medical conditions.

Eighty thousand clan members could now receive effective treatment at very low cost, even payable directly with Sacrificial Power.

Second, the city’s energy system was upgraded and a smart city system was introduced, making the urban environment of the Saima and Meng Yuan Fish Clans far more intelligent.

All these expenditures were funded by Sacrificial Power earned by these two clans through hunting and street vending in the Monster World.

The concept that the Monster World could bring about wealth redistribution was real to these two clans.

Unlike players from other clans, who centered their focus on personal gain,

The Saima and Meng Yuan Fish Clans together numbered only 800,000, and their clan-like social structure made these players willing to contribute part of their earnings to city management, spending it on the construction of Fishing Port City.

Recently, players from both clans had begun considering replacing their outdated Game Caches—a further Sacrificial Power expenditure.

Currently, the Fishing Port City administration is contacting the Erosion Clan, hoping to purchase a batch of new Game Cache equipment at a reasonable price.

But the mindset of Saima and Meng Yuan Fish Clan players is also changing.

From initially converting in-game Sacrificial Power into real-world currency to improve living conditions,

As their real lives gradually grew wealthier, they began pursuing new goals—increasing in-game power has now become their new aspiration.

This is a gradual process.

It is precisely the trend Qi Sheng anticipated.

When first recruiting these two clans, the Saima and Meng Yuan Fish Clans were in economic hardship, living in extreme poverty.

They had even considered reducing population and cutting foreign exchange expenditures.

The main reason: demand for their primary income source—exporting shallow-sea farmed marine life—plummeted.

This was tied to ocean pollution, which caused all clans to reduce demand for seafood.

Second, the previously popular grind games “Campaign” and “Sin Lands” saw massive player exoduses after the launch of Dark Lands, causing their in-game economies to collapse.

Saima and Meng Yuan Fish Clan players, who relied on grinding for income, experienced an unprecedented income crash.

The channels for earning money through brick-laying are nearly cut off.

The Dark Lands, however, are sold with quotas, and critically, the Cheekfish Clan and Abyssfish Clan aren’t even on the initial eligibility list.

Real-world hardships have made the players of these two clans view the game differently from other clans.

Their primary goal is to satisfy real-life needs, and only then do they pursue self-growth within the game.

In the early days, many players from these two clans recognized the potential of the Monster World, believing that only by strengthening their in-game characters could they earn more money in the future.

But even these players had to compromise with reality.

Faced with the clan’s management’s proposals for city construction, they willingly devoted part of their earnings to building their home environment.

As a result, most of the Cheekfish Clan’s income was consumed in the real world, turning the sacrificial power they earned into fuel for the growth of players from the Human Clan, Skyfeather Clan, and other pay-to-win players.

Compared to the game, reality is clearly more important.

But this trend is shifting as real-world conditions improve.

The management of Fishing Port City has recognized the future potential of the Monster World, viewing it not as a short-term money-making tool but as a virtual game with long-term developmental potential.

Only by enhancing the in-game strength of their own players can these two clans secure more resources and opportunities in the future.

For the sake of long-term planning, Fishing Port City’s management has begun reducing the demand for sacrificial power to fund city construction, accelerating the growth of clan members within the game.

A series of measures targeting in-game development have also been implemented.

According to feedback from the guidance system, the Cheekfish Clan and Abyssfish Clan have organized professional Monster World research teams.

Members consist of experienced veteran players and strategists familiar with game mechanics, deeply studying the distribution of all types of resources in the Monster World, even adapting combat techniques suitable for the Cheekfish and Abyssfish Clans’ marine environments.

These research findings have been compiled into detailed tutorials, freely distributed to clan members to help them avoid detours and acquire sacrificial power and enhance their strength more efficiently.

Meanwhile, Fishing Port City’s management has used its accumulated sacrificial power to establish a resource support platform within the game.

Every clan member who gains game access receives startup capital from veteran players: 500 points of sacrificial power per person.

The condition is that once supported members grow stronger, they must return a portion of their earnings to the resource support platform, paving the way for future new players to obtain Monster World access.

The funding pool for this support program will continue to grow as the two clans’ players develop within the game.

At the start, the new player support fund was only 300 points of sacrificial power; as subsequent players grew, it has increased to 500 points.

It’s foreseeable that this new player support fund will continue to grow.

One day in the future, perhaps Cheekfish and Abyssfish new players will enter the game with 10,000 points of sacrificial power—enough to raise their initial characters to Level 1 Flesh Strengthening.

This model is something no other clan can replicate; only Fishing Port City’s players enjoy such treatment.

In Qi Sheng’s view, this support model is also highly meaningful, significantly strengthening the cohesion of the two clans’ players.

Every Cheekfish and Abyssfish player feels a strong sense of clan belonging, viewing all clan members as part of a single whole.

Recently, Fishing Port City’s resource support platform has even prepared a project to help new players level up.

It will have veteran players guide new players to level up rapidly, establishing a channel where the early successes uplift the later ones.

It will enable new players to quickly transition from recipients of support to new supporters themselves.

Therefore, Qi Sheng sees no issue with Cheekfish and Abyssfish players using sacrificial power for real-world needs.

This was precisely the development trend he anticipated.

The growth of these two clans’ players must proceed gradually; it is a process where, once basic needs are met, growth follows—only when reality is satisfied can it feed back into the Monster World.

If one cannot even afford a full meal in reality, how can they exert themselves in the game to earn sacrificial power for him?

He has always sought the future, not the present.

His gaze shifts to the Ghost Scorpion Space, where the battle between players and Ghost Scorpions continues.

The profound seabed has become a chaotic battlefield.

The player-formed battle formations surge like tidal waves against the Ghost Scorpion army.

Yet each counterattack by the Ghost Scorpions inflicts heavy casualties on the player forces.

The regional voice channel is utterly chaotic, filled with curses, roars, and a cacophony of sounds.

But amid the chaos, some players stand out with astonishing performances.

In one corner of the battlefield, the Baby Gang’s Drunk Milk activated his Infinite Soul Trait and drew a 3200% boost.

A 32-fold combat power increase transformed him into a Sea God of Magic.

Drunk Milk opened his mouth and exhaled gently; the seabed temperature plummeted, and a frigid mist surged from his lips.

The ice mist rapidly spread, freezing the surrounding waters into a crystalline world.

Vast swarms of Ghost Scorpions were engulfed in the mist, their movements instantly slowed, their carapaces coated in thick frost.

A few Ghost Scorpions struggled to break free, but under the stacked ice mist trait, they were ultimately frozen into ice statues.

Drunk Milk’s ice mist breath did not cease; its range expanded further, freezing more Ghost Scorpions until the area around him became an ice-locked battlefield.

Standing before the crystalline world, Drunk Milk resembled a deity ruling over ice.

Then, Drunk Milk raised his hand and summoned a staff weapon; at its tip, a mass of ink flame coalesced.

The flame did not extinguish in the water—it burned even more fiercely.

With a swift swing of the staff, the ink flame ball crashed into the Ghost Scorpion swarm like a meteor.

It exploded instantly, spreading ink-black flames through the water, consuming every frozen Ghost Scorpion and reducing them to ash.

The flames continued to sweep forward; where they passed, the Ghost Scorpions’ shrieks ceased, leaving only black ash drifting in the water.

When Drunk Milk raised his staff again, three massive elemental towers suddenly rose around him.

The towers’ surfaces were inscribed with three elemental runes, their tops holding fused elemental energy cores of three colors.

They represented Ink Flame, Ice Mist Breath, and Thunder Rush—three Soul Traits.

After the elemental towers formed, they swiftly locked onto approaching Ghost Scorpion swarms and unleashed beams of combined elemental energy.

One after another, streams of elemental light swept across clusters of Ghost Scorpions, triggering elemental explosions.

“Hahaha, this is amazing! First time I’ve drawn a 32x boost—I can’t imagine how strong it’ll be when my Infinite Soul reaches Level 100 and I hit the max boost.”

Drunk Milk laughed arrogantly, with his teammates cheering loudly behind him.

This time, only Drunk Milk drew the massive boost; the rest of his team simply acted as cheerleaders, riding his coattails to harvest hunting rewards.

“Drunk Milk, stop laughing—you’re so full of yourself. Get back to killing!”

“Look at Drunk Milk’s smug, ugly grin—I’ve already screenshot it. So infuriating—why wasn’t it me this round?”

“Drunk Milk’s peak moment—just watching it feels great. I want to be up there too, but then I remember dying means no rewards, so I chicken out again.”

……

Amid the encouragement and teasing from his teammates, Drunk Milk suddenly focused:

“Brothers, watch closely—I’m about to show off!”

With that, Drunk Milk thrust his hand forward.

Instantly, the entire sea’s currents were stirred by an invisible force; hundreds of colossal elemental void hands materialized, their surfaces blazing with Ice Mist Breath, Ink Flame, and Thunder Rush elements, radiating surging energy waves.

“Here it comes!”

In an instant, hundreds of void hands crashed down upon the Ghost Scorpion swarm with apocalyptic force.

In that moment, the entire sea seemed to have swallowed a colossal bomb; seawater churned violently like boiling water, emitting deafening roars.

Terrifying power swept across the surroundings with unstoppable force.

Ice elements instantly froze vast swaths of Ghost Scorpions; their once-hard carapaces, under extreme cold, became brittle as glass and shattered.

Ink flames ravaged the Ghost Scorpion swarm, rapidly carbonizing their bodies into piles of black ash.

Thunder Rush’s powerful electric current instantly paralyzed the Ghost Scorpions’ nerves; their bodies convulsed under the shock before sinking helplessly into the seabed.

Drunk Milk, alone, held back a dense cluster of Ghost Scorpions in one corner of the battlefield.

Where once there had been a dense mass of Ghost Scorpions, only a handful of broken remnants remained.

White light flickered across the Baby Gang members’ bodies; all of them leveled up from this single strike.

The seawater, now murky with blood, shattered remains, and swirling elemental energy, surrounded Drunk Milk, whose elemental aura still shimmered brightly.

“Show’s over—out of mana. Let me drink a potion to recharge, then I’ll show off again.”

At that moment, Drunk Milk suddenly slumped, his elemental aura fading; he bent over, pulled a potion from his space bag, and gulped it down, looking exactly like a withered old man drained of all vitality.

At this moment, Hammer in the squad curiously asked:

“Drunk Milk, I just heard someone in the regional channel yelling about someone randomly casting skills and smashing everything, calling them a beast—was that you?”

“Check the team info bar—Drunk Milk just killed five fellow villagers. You should commit suicide to atone. I hate beasts who bully new players. Disgusting.”

“That was indeed cool, but thinking about how several of my fellow villagers in the front row got crushed by you just now, I’m heartbroken—you’re such a beast.”

Hearing his teammates’ teasing, Drunk Milk spat:

“If you keep this up, I’m quitting the squad. I’ll go solo and won’t give you a single point of sacrificial power or evolution point.”

“No, no—when your power is this strong, accidental damage is understandable…”

Amid the teasing, dense waves of Ghost Scorpions surged again; Drunk Milk, having downed five potions, straightened his back, and his elemental aura flickered once more.

“Staff, come!”

The vanished golden staff reappeared in Drunk Milk’s hand; a cocky grin curled on his lips.

In a tone of unquestionable authority, he began chanting his otaku lines:

“Call forth the wrath of thunder, forge my blade!”

Instantly, thunderclouds churned in the sea, and countless blinding bolts of lightning descended, wrapping around his staff and body.

“By the oath of the abyss, summon the soul of ink flame, ignite my fighting spirit!”

Immediately, black flames rose from beneath his feet.

“By the pact of ice, summon the spirit of frost and snow, solidify my will!”

Bone-chilling cold erupted from his staff, spreading rapidly with ice power.

"Lightning, ink flame, and frost—threefold powers empower me! Now I am the law, I am destruction!"

At this moment, the members of the Baby Gang all raised their middle fingers at the utterly childish Zui Nai.

As team captain, Iron Hammer directly muted Zui Nai and cursed:

"I can't take you anymore—the brothers from the neighboring Feast Drunk Society are watching! You've shamed the entire Baby Gang."

The great battle continued; the number of Ghost Scorpion Insects was endless.

Even as new players continuously arrived to reinforce the lines, the player army remained at an absolute disadvantage.

The Baby Gang, holding alone one corner, could not sustain itself even with Zui Nai’s strength alone.

When Zui Nai’s spiritual energy drained again and he had no time to recover, he was surrounded by the Ghost Scorpion horde.

Just as the Baby Gang players thought they would be sent back to the village, a familiar voice rang out:

"Brothers, your old man has brought reinforcements!"

The Baby Gang members all turned to look.

There, a man clad in dazzling attire descended slowly.

His clothing seemed woven from stars; every thread shimmered with dreamlike radiance, its runes flickering as if alive with his breath, shifting and flowing with his movements, as if he had draped the entire starry sky over his body.

The one who arrived was none other than the Baby Gang’s leader, the "Principal."

The hem of his robe swayed gently like ocean currents, resembling a flowing aurora, elevating him to an aura of divine grandeur.

At this moment, a sly grin adorned his Iron Face, and behind him stood hundreds of An Yi warriors.

They stood in perfect formation, encased in pitch-black armor engraved with An Yi battle runes, radiating a chilling aura—standing together like a wall of black steel.

Each An Yi warrior gripped a blade emitting dark light, ready to plunge into battle at any moment.

At this moment, the Principal stepped forward.

Instantly, the An Yi warriors behind him marched forward in unison, causing the sea to tremble; their powerful blood qi surged like a tidal wave, spreading outward and blasting every approaching Ghost Scorpion Insect away.

The Principal’s arrival instantly became the battlefield’s focal point; players from nearby warbands all turned to stare.

(End of Chapter)