[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-monsters-are-coming":3,"chapter-the-monsters-are-coming-monsters-are-coming-chapter-372":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},2250221,4069,"Chapter 372: Old Fellow, Don","monsters-are-coming-chapter-372",372,"\u003Cp>Two hours later, the Colorful Mist Coast would connect to the game space’s teleportation point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All 32 members of the internet-addicted tribe were present.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the most reluctant dared not absent themselves, under the threat of a week-long internet cutoff.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ming Hou’s gaze swept over the tribe members before him, his lips twitching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tribe members’ in-game appearances differed greatly from his expectations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though his own attire differed from the past, it still followed the silver robe style, with faint silver patterns of fate trajectories embroidered along the hem, sleeves neatly cinched, preserving the Fate Clan’s signature cold detachment—unostentatious, yet radiating an otherworldly aura.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But these tribe members before him were entirely different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had been completely influenced by forum players, their aesthetics warped beyond recognition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the front stood Ming Man, sporting a neon explosion of hair dyed with armed modules, each strand crackling with electric sparks, clad in a black leather robe with a back print depicting the Di Nian Evil Spirit hovering mid-air with arms crossed, topped with the words “E-Ba”—his entire look resembled a street thug from Earth’s ancient past.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next to him, Ming Dun was even more extreme: bare-chested, his arms sun-tanned to a bronze hue, muscles defined, yet covered in bizarre patterns and text tattooed via armed modules—as if possessed by demons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those in the back rows were equally chaotic: some wore sunglasses with lenses larger than their faces, cycling “666” bullet-screen effects; others dressed in ancient Earth attire, wide sleeves clutching two laser rifles produced by the Arms Dealer Guild.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most unbearable to Ming Hou was the female member named Ming Tao: though her Iron Face was delicate, she wore smoky eye makeup, her lips painted jet-purple, clad in a shirt covered in skull motifs, her skirt so short it exposed her thighs, feet clad in heavy metal boots, a headband tied across her forehead bearing one phrase: “Dare to challenge!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, cultural infiltration was severe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These young tribe members had high exposure to novel things; after becoming players and teaming up with members of other races for hunting, they were evidently influenced culturally, and having shed their inner psychological restraints, they had fully liberated themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gathered together, they resembled a fashion show.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each member’s attire leaned toward “flashy,” yet their demeanor still carried a lingering awkwardness, appearing flashy yet absurd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ming Hou rubbed his temples, saying nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Freed from the Fate Clan, the tribe members were utterly free—he would impose no restrictions upon them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beyond what development required, let them play however they wished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Taking a deep breath, Ming Hou scanned the faces of his tribe:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your task today isn’t difficult. All you need to do is enter the game space and play a few rounds of strategy games with members of the Youlu Council.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, Ming Hou summoned his functional panel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He broadcast his edited playback video to the tribe:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Watch the video first, then remember this: I am the wrong example. Remember three points: First, use disguise techniques to enter the arena; once the disguise is broken, activate different Ming Hun forms. Second, in each entry, you may win no more than four rounds—but don’t win too easily; pretend to barely scrape through victory. Third, absolutely avoid mistakes like mine. Lose reasonably, so your opponents can naturally acquire the Clan Mark.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After hearing Ming Hou’s instructions, the tribe members shook their heads:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ming Zhu, I’m already a player—why not just hack and crush them? Why bother pretending to be a noob?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ming Hou glared fiercely at the speaking member:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Watch my broadcasted video first, then ask why. I don’t want victory—I want failure.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tribe members fell silent, then opened Ming Hou’s broadcasted video.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the projected video screen, scenes flashed: Ming Hou arrogantly exposing You Ai’s cheating, his mocking smirk as he deliberately let down his guard, and finally his calm acceptance of death—making the tribe members understand why Ming Hou demanded they struggle to win, and never overdo it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the video ended, the member who had asked nodded in sudden understanding:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I get it… Ming Zhu wants us to lower our posture, making the Youlu Council believe they can easily control us, so they’ll confidently launch the Slaughter Plan—and drain their combat strength.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing they finally grasped the point, Ming Hou nodded:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Remember: win by luck, lose naturally.” He paused, then added:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Two enter at a time, with a thirty-minute interval. Even if you enter close together, pretend you’ve never met.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tribe members all agreed, beginning to pair off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The 32 tribe members were divided into 16 pairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With Ming Hou’s assistance, they released their spiritual energy to disguise their life-wave signatures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for appearance, Ming Hou had originally planned to purchase materials from the Trading Market to aid in deep disguise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But seeing their current bizarre outfits, it was entirely unnecessary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first pair was Ming Man and Ming Dun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s go teach the Youlu Council a lesson,” Ming Man bumped Ming Dun’s arm and stepped forward toward the center of the teleportation array.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ming Dun grinned, revealing a row of white teeth:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just thinking about it gets me excited—pure hack Cultivation Mode, pure fun.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they reached the teleportation array’s center, Ming Hou raised his hand and activated the teleportation Cultivation Mode—their figures vanished into the glow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Ming Hou summoned the forum interface, monitoring the tribe’s next moves via live stream.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On-screen, the two tribe members passed through the teleportation tunnel and entered the game space’s capture corridor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon after, they landed within the game space.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the strategy game began, both tribe members chose not to cheat, relying solely on luck to roll the dice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten minutes later, the second pair departed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of the tribe members turned before entering the teleportation array and gave him a thumbs-up:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ming Zhu, rest assured—we’ll lose so convincingly they won’t find a single flaw.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ming Hou stood to the side, watching the tribe members grin as they entered the teleportation array, instantly activating the array.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He also purchased energy crystals from the player mall to replenish the energy consumed by teleportation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As more and more tribe members were teleported into the game space, Ming Hou himself did not re-enter—he watched their actions via livestream.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he spotted inappropriate behavior, he sent bullet-screen reminders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tribe members’ performances pleased him greatly: sometimes they sighed in frustration after losing, sometimes they groaned over drawing useless cards—their clumsy actions and frequent displays of nervousness were exactly the narrative he wanted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the first pair suffered defeat in the game, Ming Hou promptly summoned the forum and checked the Competitive Faction section.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially those players recently selected for competition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While Ming Man spoke, Ming Hou scanned the alien figures standing beside the players.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He found no members of the Youlu Council present.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This disappointed him slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the Ancient God Arena was a layered space; even with constant player entries, the probability of encountering a Youlu Council member remained low.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only with more victories would members of the same batch have a higher chance of meeting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He chose to directly ask for guidance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The answer thrilled him—he clenched his fist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he suspected, this batch of Youlu Council members had been sent to the Ji Le Palace and the Ancient God Arena.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for why, he could guess roughly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aside from Di Nian E Ba’s mental torture battlefield, players had two other factions for mutual reputation boosting—both temporarily free of any conflicting interests, leveraging each other’s rule logic to enhance their own camp’s combat strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first of these was the Ancient God Clan, entrenched in the Death Sea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their arena was essentially the player camp’s “elite” training ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Players on this path spent every day refining combat techniques, forming the group with the strongest individual power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since launch, they had cultivated many renowned technique-stream players.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Furthermore, to improve the efficiency of rule-derived energy output, the Ancient God Arena periodically selected fighters for training.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From these training programs, players learned deep-use techniques for many abilities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The second was the A Le Training Ground—the premier newbie cultivation base.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since launch, it had supplied countless elites to every playstyle sect, making it the ideal scenario for early-game player transition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its importance was no less than the Emperor Tomb Village battlefield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both were training grounds capable of continuously producing massive resource returns for the player camp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By sending Youlu Council members as gift packages to the Ji Le Palace and Ancient God Arena, they would ultimately return as resources to the player camp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the exploit confirmed viable, Ming Hou’s worries vanished—he smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The show had officially begun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two days later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Batch after batch of Fate Clan players entered and exited the strategy arena in noob fashion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each time they lost and departed, they took a few Youlu Council members with them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This issue quickly drew the attention of the Youlu Council’s high command.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, the Youlu Council’s Yishidating  was filled with spectral figures seated atop an ocean of condensed energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the central floating crystal ball, thousands of red dots flickered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each red dot represented a tribe member who had lost contact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were all members who, after initiating the Slaughter Plan, had been guided by the Clan Mark toward unknown regions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this time, the situation was unusual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the past, some slaughter squads had gone missing—they never investigated deeply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Monster World was perilous; encountering overwhelming forces or sudden risks was common.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this time, within a short span, 57 slaughter squads had vanished entirely, totaling 3,363 tribe members missing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Logically, even against fierce resistance, at least some energy signal should have been transmitted as feedback.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet now, all dispatched squads seemed erased the instant teleportation ended, leaving not a single ripple of struggle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was no natural disconnection—it resembled deliberate external interference, severing all communication, turning tribe members into disconnected kites unable to send even a final distress signal back to the clan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, the head of the Youlu Council gazed at a figure ahead, then flicked his finger toward the central crystal ball.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the game space’s derived rule energy rapidly depleted, the spatial coordinates of the remaining tribe members’ auras slowly appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Youyou Xuan, track the residual spatial fluctuations and investigate the specifics.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m setting out now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Youyou Xuan, having responded, suddenly solidified into You blue spectral shadows around its body, then raised a hand to extract spatial coordinates from the crystal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It then transformed into a pale blue streak of light, shooting out of the Sea of Energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead of choosing conventional spatial teleportation, it directly mobilized its internal energy, tearing through space along the trajectory marked by the crystal ball.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Spatial barriers along its path rippled outward in layers; nodes that normally required precise calculation to penetrate now seemed pre-cleared by an invisible force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its form leapt multiple times through spatial rifts, but upon exiting the passage, Youyou Xuan immediately collided with a spatial wall—and found it could not break through no matter how hard it tore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Youyou Law was about to try again,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>it suddenly sensed a terrifying pressure surging from within the spatial barrier ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Youyou Xuan instinctively looked up—and saw, slowly rising within the barrier, an indescribable purple figure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its form had no clear contours; its Iron Face shifted like ripples on water, and the You purple flames burning upon it rippled the surrounding space with every movement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though its eyes remained closed, it felt as if countless pairs of eyes pierced through the spatial barrier, locking directly onto Youyou Xuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each gaze carried a crushing pressure, nearly enough to shatter its body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Merely by being watched, Youyou Xuan felt its internal energy freeze, its energy frequency utterly chaotic, even struggling to maintain basic energy flow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In that moment, Youyou Xuan felt the despair of an ant facing the heavens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It realized the opponent’s life tier had long surpassed anything it could comprehend.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The spatial wall continued to tremble; the pressure emanating from the purple figure grew heavier, and Youyou Xuan dared not even think about how to respond.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It let out a decisive roar—and its internal energy instantly went berserk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, the hazy purple figure also shuddered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This sight terrified Youyou Xuan beyond measure; it tore through the space behind it with all its strength and fled backward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The urge to escape overwhelmed everything else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to uncovering the fate of its clan members, preserving its own life was clearly far more important.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The life-form within the spatial barrier was clearly not one Youyou Law Council could afford to provoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if the Council deployed all its combat power, it would only become the opponent’s nourishment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The vanished signals, the erased clan members—all now had answers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had almost certainly been devoured by this purple figure’s demonic presence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pressure behind it did not follow, but Youyou Xuan dared not stop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Burning itself to escape, each spatial leap brought searing pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It dared not look back—only one thought screamed wildly in its mind: Run, run fast, get as far away as possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the other side,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the Ji Le Lord’s projection watched the retreating figure tear through space, and let out a long sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That sudden, terrified roar had nearly shattered its projected divine energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had thought some faction had found the entrance to the Ji Le Sub-Palace and was attempting a forced breakthrough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the energy fluctuations from the intruder’s form were weak, who could say if stronger reinforcements lurked behind?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No faction capable of holding ground in the Monster World was harmless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had already begun planning in its mind: if things got worse, it might as well shut down this Ji Le Sub-Palace entirely—better than being wiped out entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At least it could recover most of its energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as the Main Palace remained intact, losing one Sub-Palace was not a fatal blow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But before it could dismantle the Sub-Palace, the figure suddenly screamed like it had seen a ghost—and then fled, burning its own energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was clear now: the intruder had not come to attack the Sub-Palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had fled in terror from the energy leakage of the Ji Le Lord’s projection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It looked down at its own projected form, then glanced at the small crack in the spatial barrier left by the earlier energy surge—and suddenly felt both amused and exasperated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All this panic had been self-inflicted—a false alarm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking it had saved a Sub-Palace, the Ji Le Lord’s mood instantly brightened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nothing brought it greater peace than stable growth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the other side, after multiple spatial leaps, Youyou Xuan appeared in an unfamiliar environment within the Monster World.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It suppressed its energy emission frequency, and the pale blue glow radiating from its body dimmed considerably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though it had escaped, the encounter still left it shaken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its internal energy core still trembled faintly from the lingering pressure of the purple aura.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was terrifying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Merely recalling it made it shiver uncontrollably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the first time, it had smelled death’s breath so clearly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was certain: had that purple figure chosen to strike, it would never have escaped alive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And its own Youyou Law Council could offer it no aid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Should it return to its ancestral lands now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thought had barely surfaced when it crushed it down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fifty-seven squads, 3,363 clan members missing—such massive losses could not be returned to without knowing the cause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the information extracted from the Clan Crystal, there was a second coordinate—perhaps conditions there were better.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But recalling that purple specter, it instinctively recoiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thoughts churned; Youyou Xuan hesitated, then finally clenched its teeth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After transmitting its encounter report back to the ancestral lands, it pulled up the next spatial trajectory, relocked onto the second coordinate, and tore through space once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not long after, Youyou Xuan appeared above a vast expanse of azure sea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Salty sea winds, thick with moisture, struck its Iron Face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking down, the water beneath was clear as a mirror, revealing schools of glowing fish swimming deep below.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Youyou Xuan had arrived precisely over the sea where the Ancient God Arena stood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once shrouded in ghostly shadows and perpetual gloom, the Death Sea had been reborn since the Mingwu Clan’s revival.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Youyou Xuan’s gaze locked onto a massive island directly ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Through the invisible barrier, it could see towering celestial ladders rising into the clouds and floating arena platforms suspended above the island.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Based on the spatial data, it was nearly certain: the missing clan members were within this island.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Youyou Xuan drew a deep breath, about to activate its energy and approach—when suddenly, a deafening, earth-shaking roar erupted from the island’s center.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Immediately after, a colossal hand wreathed in blood-red flames burst upward from within the island; when its five fingers spread wide, they blotted out half the sky, and a terrifying pressure crashed down.\u003C\u002Fp>",2817,"2026-06-19T09:20:37.851Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","50eb61656d7d2d3d48bc7c322541a896a23ad3336fca58760fc58cdd94a68439","monsters-are-coming-chapter-373","monsters-are-coming-chapter-371",393,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fmonsters-are-coming-cover.jpg"]